Of late a lot of guys are mailing me from abroad asking details about MBBS and how to do residency etc . This post is for them
MBBS
You enter here after your School (School in India is 14 years including 2 Year Kinder Garden. You enter Standard 1 after completion of 5 years and study till 12th. After 12th you enter college - whether it is engineering or arts or law or commerce or medical)
MBBS Course
4 and half years........
I MBBS
Where you read Anatomy , Physiology and Biochemistry for one year. Only when you pass this exam, you are allowed to go to II MBBS
II MBBS
You read Pathology , Pharmacology , Microbiology and Forensic Medicine for one and half years. After clearing all this 4 subjects you go to III MBBS. The lecture classes of these subjects will be in the afternoon. In the morning you will be attending Medicine Surgery and other wards
III MBBS or Final MBBS - Part IOne Year
You read SPM, ENT and Opthal and pass that
The lecture classes of these subjects will be in the afternoon. In the morning you will be attending Medicine Surgery and other wards
ENT and Opthal Wards will also be in the morning
III MBBS or Final MBBS - Part IOne Year
Theory and Wards on Medicine, Surgery, OG and Paediatrics
Only if you pass, you are allowed into internship
Intership 1 year after 4.5 yearsYou work in the hospital attached to the medical college.
When you "pass" all the papers in Final MBBS part II, YOu are allowed to do your internship.
After you complete your internship (0ne full year), you will be given the DEGREE and will be given a registration number by the Medical Council of India.
Then you can practise
If you want to specialise in Surgery, you have to do 3 year post graduation MS General Surgery. For that you have to write an entrance exam and get a good rank there.
If you want to specialise in Paediatrics , you have to do 3 year post graduation MD Paediatrics . For that you have to write an entrance exam and get a good rank there.
An MD guys spents 3 years (studying MD) AFTER Completing 5 and half years as MBBS
An MS guys spents 3 years (studying MS) AFTER Completing 5 and half years as MBBS
So in fact MD Guys spent 8 and half years in total
So in fact MS Guys spent 8 and half years in total
An DM Guy spends 3 years (studying DM ) after MD
An MCh Guy spends 3 years (studying MCh ) after MS
So in fact DM Guys spent 11 and half years in total
So in fact MCh Guys spent 11 and half years in total
is it clear
MD = MBBS + MD
MS = MBBS + MS
DM = MD + DM
or DM = MBBS + MD + DM
MCh = MS + MCh
or MCh = MBBS + MS + MCh
So MD is superior to MBBS and DM is superior to MD
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
No back-door entry in public employment
From the Hindu
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006091113260100.htm&date=2006/09/11/&prd=th&
A Bench consisting of Justices G.P. Mathur and Dalveer Bhandari held that the High Courts could not issue directions to regularise the services of temporary or ad hoc employees in the absence of any existing vacancies.
Cautioning the High Courts, the Bench said: ``It would be improper for the courts to give directions for regularisation of services of the person who is working either as daily-wager, ad hoc employee, probationer, temporary or contractual employee, not appointed following the procedure laid down under Articles 14 (equality before law), 16 (equality of opportunity in matters of public employment) and 309 (recruitment and conditions of service of persons serving the Union or a State) of the Constitution. In our constitutional scheme, there is no room for back door entry in the matter of public employment.''
The Bench said: ``The Union, the States, their departments and instrumentalities have resorted to irregular appointments, especially in the lower rungs of the service, without reference to the duty to ensure a proper appointment procedure and to permit these irregular appointees or those appointed on contract or on daily wages, to continue year after year, thus, keeping out those who are qualified to apply for the post concerned and depriving them of an opportunity to compete for the post.''
``It has also led to persons who get employed, without following a regular procedure or even through the back door or on daily wages, approaching the courts, seeking directions to make them permanent in their posts and to prevent regular recruitment to the posts concerned."
Writing the judgment for the Bench, Justice Bhandari said: ``It is clear that adherence to the rule of equality in public employment is a basic feature of our Constitution and since the rule of law is the core of our Constitution, a court would certainly be disabled from passing an order upholding a violation of Article 14 or in ordering the overlooking of the need to comply with the requirements of Article 14 read with Article 16 of the Constitution. A regular appointment to a post under the State or Union cannot be made without issuing advertisement and inviting applications from eligible candidates.''
Appellant Surendra Prasad Tewari was appointed by Rajya Krishi Utpadan Mandi Parishad, Uttar Pradesh, on a temporary basis and he continued in the job for 14 years based on interim directions of the court. Ultimately, the Allahabad High Court rejected his plea for regularisation. The Bench confirmed the High Court order and rejected his appeal seeking to quash the impugned judgment.
© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006091113260100.htm&date=2006/09/11/&prd=th&
- Temporary employees have no vested right to be regularised: Supreme Court
- High Courts could not issue directions to regularise services in the absence of any existing vacancies
- Adherence to the rule of equality in public employment a basic feature of Constitution
A Bench consisting of Justices G.P. Mathur and Dalveer Bhandari held that the High Courts could not issue directions to regularise the services of temporary or ad hoc employees in the absence of any existing vacancies.
Cautioning the High Courts, the Bench said: ``It would be improper for the courts to give directions for regularisation of services of the person who is working either as daily-wager, ad hoc employee, probationer, temporary or contractual employee, not appointed following the procedure laid down under Articles 14 (equality before law), 16 (equality of opportunity in matters of public employment) and 309 (recruitment and conditions of service of persons serving the Union or a State) of the Constitution. In our constitutional scheme, there is no room for back door entry in the matter of public employment.''
The Bench said: ``The Union, the States, their departments and instrumentalities have resorted to irregular appointments, especially in the lower rungs of the service, without reference to the duty to ensure a proper appointment procedure and to permit these irregular appointees or those appointed on contract or on daily wages, to continue year after year, thus, keeping out those who are qualified to apply for the post concerned and depriving them of an opportunity to compete for the post.''
``It has also led to persons who get employed, without following a regular procedure or even through the back door or on daily wages, approaching the courts, seeking directions to make them permanent in their posts and to prevent regular recruitment to the posts concerned."
Writing the judgment for the Bench, Justice Bhandari said: ``It is clear that adherence to the rule of equality in public employment is a basic feature of our Constitution and since the rule of law is the core of our Constitution, a court would certainly be disabled from passing an order upholding a violation of Article 14 or in ordering the overlooking of the need to comply with the requirements of Article 14 read with Article 16 of the Constitution. A regular appointment to a post under the State or Union cannot be made without issuing advertisement and inviting applications from eligible candidates.''
Appellant Surendra Prasad Tewari was appointed by Rajya Krishi Utpadan Mandi Parishad, Uttar Pradesh, on a temporary basis and he continued in the job for 14 years based on interim directions of the court. Ultimately, the Allahabad High Court rejected his plea for regularisation. The Bench confirmed the High Court order and rejected his appeal seeking to quash the impugned judgment.
© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu
Saturday, July 1, 2006
Venugopal adjusts strike period against extra hours of duty
Medicos will get salary, need not do additional internship
From http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/01/stories/2006070120691100.htm
NEW DELHI: P. Venugopal, Director of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here, on Friday issued an order for adjustment of the resident doctors' strike period from May 15 to 31 against extra hours of duty performed by members of the Resident Doctors' Association. As per this order, medicos who were on strike at the AIIMS during the recent anti-reservation agitation would be paid their salary for the period and they need not do additional internship. Meanwhile, the suspension of six Class III/IV employees has been revoked after an enquiry committee gave them a clean chit. The employees were suspended on November 24, 2004 for striking work within a 500-metre radius of the AIIMS boundary, which is against the orders of the Delhi High Court. The suspensions were revoked "with immediate effect" on June 28 by a letter issued by the Director. The six members of the AIIMS employees' union had struck work demanding that an enquiry committee be set up to look into the death of the son of an AIIMS employee. Speaking about the latest move by the AIIMS administration, a faculty member said: "It is being seen as an effort by the Director to increase the headcount in his camp." `No work, no pay circular'
Legal Correspondent reports: Earlier in the day, resident doctors of two medical colleges here challenged in the Supreme Court the June 12 circular issued by the Director, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, that medicos would not be entitled to salary during the strike period May 15-31. The circular said "no work means no pay." For "any resident doctor and others who neither worked nor applied for leave during this period, pay does not accrue and, therefore, cannot be disbursed." In their plea, the Resident Doctors Association of Maulana Azad Medical College and the AIIMS said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on May 28 gave an assurance that no action would be taken against the agitating students, interns and resident doctors by way of break in service, termination, pay deduction and legal notice. Further, on May 31 the Additional Solicitor-General made a submission in the court that "in case, the strikes, etc, are called off, as directed, we are very sure the Government shall appropriately consider the feelings of doctors or students, and shall not take any punitive action." The applicant said the AIIMS Registrar on June 5 wrote to the Government saying salaries for the doctors might be released. In response, the Director of the Ministry issued the circular that said they would not be entitled to salary for the strike period. Apart from pay deduction, the leave entitlement of interns, postgraduate students and resident doctors was deducted for the period of the agitation. As a result, the doctors and students were forced to extend their internship and would be rendered ineligible to appear for postgraduate entrance examinations, which consequence would have severe repercussions on their future prospects, the applicant said. The applicant sought a direction to the government to ensure that salaries were not deducted and absence during May 14-June 6 was condoned. |
From http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/01/stories/2006070120691100.htm
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Media Coverage of TNPSC vs Contract
From Indian Express http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IE920060619135328&Title=Chennai&Topic=0&
Chennai Edition
Contract vs TNPSC docs? War of attrition hits govt homepage
Tuesday June 20 2006 00:14 IST
CHENNAI: Dr X (Direct recruitee): ...We have been in Nilgris for the past nine months and the contract idiots will remain in their native districts. How come they are superior to those already in service?
Dr Y (contract medical consultant): Dey loosu (mad) Dr X, go and ask for transfer counselling. Don’t pour your anger here, if you’d scored high, you might have joined in 2003...Stop your nonsense.
Dr X: You are an absolute sadist...you want regular permanent post thru’ back door.
This war of attrition is now being fought in the bulletin board of the state Health Department’s homepage - www.tnhealth.org. The government’s announcement that it will absorb all contract medical consultants (CMCs) the preceding AIADMK-led government had appointed has set the cat among the pigeons.
Assistant surgeons recruited directly through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) are unsure about their future and are wending their ire through website. Topping their confusion, the counselling, which was to start on June 20, has been postponed.
Since June 12 - when the Madras High Court upheld the rejection of over 1,800 applications for the post of Assistant Surgeons by the TNPSC and thereby clearing the way for appointment of the recruitees - it has been rumours galore. Contract workers had sought and got an assurance from the Health Ministry that their services would be regularised. For, there is a total of 3,000 vacancies in the Directorate of Public Health (DPH), Directorate of Medical Services and Directorate of Medical Education.
For example, in Tiruvannamalai health unit district (HUD) of the DPH, nearly 59 of the 95 posts are vacant and in Cheyyar HUD 39 of the 77 posts are to be filled. Says a CMC based in a western district: “Over the last year, every CMC has been made responsible for at least three PHCs. We have acquitted ourselves very well. I think, that’s why the government has decided to absorb us.”
According to him around 1,295 vacancies are in the DPH alone and the Tamil Nadu Medical Service is right now at 50 percent of sanctioned strength.
In 2005, the previous government had announced that around 2,300 posts would be filled on contract basis. However, sources pointed out that only 1,000 were posted, as Assembly elections had been announced before the process could be completed.
Through TNPSC 2003 examination, 1,800 assistant surgeons, including 300 CMCs, have been selected. That means only another 700 have to be accommodated while the vacancy after appointing the direct recruitees will still be another 1,200. “So, why worry?” wonders another CMC.
Health Ministry sources are also quick to blame the online unrest on rumour mongers. “The delay in counselling is only because of some formalities in file clearance. Absolutely administrative. All selected Assistant Surgeons will be counselled starting June 22. Though we have taken a policy decision to absorb all CMCs, the modalities have to be worked out,” says a top official in the Ministry.
But the TNPSC recruitees have not had their last word yet. They are baying for the blood of CMCs. “The system seems to favour the contract doctors.
Those who do not go through the exam process will get the plum postings in medical colleges and PHCs on main road, while the rest have to serve in distant villages,” says a young doctor.
The million-dollar question? Will the warring factions learn to co-exist when the two have to work shoulder-to-shoulder?
Chennai Edition
Contract vs TNPSC docs? War of attrition hits govt homepage
Tuesday June 20 2006 00:14 IST
CHENNAI: Dr X (Direct recruitee): ...We have been in Nilgris for the past nine months and the contract idiots will remain in their native districts. How come they are superior to those already in service?
Dr Y (contract medical consultant): Dey loosu (mad) Dr X, go and ask for transfer counselling. Don’t pour your anger here, if you’d scored high, you might have joined in 2003...Stop your nonsense.
Dr X: You are an absolute sadist...you want regular permanent post thru’ back door.
This war of attrition is now being fought in the bulletin board of the state Health Department’s homepage - www.tnhealth.org. The government’s announcement that it will absorb all contract medical consultants (CMCs) the preceding AIADMK-led government had appointed has set the cat among the pigeons.
Assistant surgeons recruited directly through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) are unsure about their future and are wending their ire through website. Topping their confusion, the counselling, which was to start on June 20, has been postponed.
Since June 12 - when the Madras High Court upheld the rejection of over 1,800 applications for the post of Assistant Surgeons by the TNPSC and thereby clearing the way for appointment of the recruitees - it has been rumours galore. Contract workers had sought and got an assurance from the Health Ministry that their services would be regularised. For, there is a total of 3,000 vacancies in the Directorate of Public Health (DPH), Directorate of Medical Services and Directorate of Medical Education.
For example, in Tiruvannamalai health unit district (HUD) of the DPH, nearly 59 of the 95 posts are vacant and in Cheyyar HUD 39 of the 77 posts are to be filled. Says a CMC based in a western district: “Over the last year, every CMC has been made responsible for at least three PHCs. We have acquitted ourselves very well. I think, that’s why the government has decided to absorb us.”
According to him around 1,295 vacancies are in the DPH alone and the Tamil Nadu Medical Service is right now at 50 percent of sanctioned strength.
In 2005, the previous government had announced that around 2,300 posts would be filled on contract basis. However, sources pointed out that only 1,000 were posted, as Assembly elections had been announced before the process could be completed.
Through TNPSC 2003 examination, 1,800 assistant surgeons, including 300 CMCs, have been selected. That means only another 700 have to be accommodated while the vacancy after appointing the direct recruitees will still be another 1,200. “So, why worry?” wonders another CMC.
Health Ministry sources are also quick to blame the online unrest on rumour mongers. “The delay in counselling is only because of some formalities in file clearance. Absolutely administrative. All selected Assistant Surgeons will be counselled starting June 22. Though we have taken a policy decision to absorb all CMCs, the modalities have to be worked out,” says a top official in the Ministry.
But the TNPSC recruitees have not had their last word yet. They are baying for the blood of CMCs. “The system seems to favour the contract doctors.
Those who do not go through the exam process will get the plum postings in medical colleges and PHCs on main road, while the rest have to serve in distant villages,” says a young doctor.
The million-dollar question? Will the warring factions learn to co-exist when the two have to work shoulder-to-shoulder?
Monday, June 12, 2006
HC upholds TNPSC's rejection of over 1800 applications
From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/004200606122132.htm
Chennai, June. 12 (PTI): The Madras High Court today upheld the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission's rejection of over 1800 applications for selection to 1825 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and in 21 other different specialities for various reasons including unsigned applications.
Dismissing a petition filed by over 150 candidates whose applications for selections were rejected, a Division Bench, comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice JAK Sampath Kumar, held that by not signing the applications they had rendered the particulars furnished 'unauthenticated' and invalid.
"A Signature connotes the authenticity of the person, who satisfies the accuracy and correctness of particulars provided and furnished by him. In such circumstances we are of the view that the non-signing by applicants has rendered particulars furnished by them unauthenticated and the applications cannot be considered as valid," the Judges held.
The Judges said a perusal of the application forms made it clear that where and in how many places the applicants had to sign.
The TNPSC had invited applications for 1295 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and 530 posts in different specialities in July 2005. In all 7123 candidates had applied and of them 5317 were found eligible to write the test. The applications of 1806 candidates were rejected for various reasons, including non-signing of applications.
The petitioners contended that the reason for rejection was flimsy, unjust and arbitrary as it was only an irregularity which could be rectified at any stage of recruitment.
Chennai, June. 12 (PTI): The Madras High Court today upheld the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission's rejection of over 1800 applications for selection to 1825 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and in 21 other different specialities for various reasons including unsigned applications.
Dismissing a petition filed by over 150 candidates whose applications for selections were rejected, a Division Bench, comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice JAK Sampath Kumar, held that by not signing the applications they had rendered the particulars furnished 'unauthenticated' and invalid.
"A Signature connotes the authenticity of the person, who satisfies the accuracy and correctness of particulars provided and furnished by him. In such circumstances we are of the view that the non-signing by applicants has rendered particulars furnished by them unauthenticated and the applications cannot be considered as valid," the Judges held.
The Judges said a perusal of the application forms made it clear that where and in how many places the applicants had to sign.
The TNPSC had invited applications for 1295 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and 530 posts in different specialities in July 2005. In all 7123 candidates had applied and of them 5317 were found eligible to write the test. The applications of 1806 candidates were rejected for various reasons, including non-signing of applications.
The petitioners contended that the reason for rejection was flimsy, unjust and arbitrary as it was only an irregularity which could be rectified at any stage of recruitment.
TNPSC's rejection of applications upheld
From Chennai Online
The Madras High Court today upheld the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission''s rejection of over 1800 applications for selection to 1825 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and in 21 other different specialities for various reasons including unsigned applications.
Dismissing a petition filed by over 150 candidates whose applications for selections were rejected, a Division Bench, comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice JAK Sampath Kumar, held that by not signing the applications they had rendered the particulars furnished ''unauthenticated'' and invalid.
"A Signature connotes the authenticity of the person, who satisfies the accuracy and correctness of particulars provided and furnished by him. In such circumstances we are of the view that the non-signing by applicants has rendered particulars furnished by them unauthenticated and the applications cannot be considered as valid," the Judges held.
The Judges said a perusal of the application forms made it clear that where and in how many places the applicants had to sign.
The TNPSC had invited applications for 1295 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and 530 posts in different specialities in July 2005. In all 7123 candidates had applied and of them 5317 were found eligible to write the test. The applications of 1806 candidates were rejected for various reasons, including non-signing of applications.
The petitioners contended that the reason for rejection was flimsy, unjust and arbitrary as it was only an irregularity, which could be rectified at any stage of recruitment
The Madras High Court today upheld the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission''s rejection of over 1800 applications for selection to 1825 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and in 21 other different specialities for various reasons including unsigned applications.
Dismissing a petition filed by over 150 candidates whose applications for selections were rejected, a Division Bench, comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice JAK Sampath Kumar, held that by not signing the applications they had rendered the particulars furnished ''unauthenticated'' and invalid.
"A Signature connotes the authenticity of the person, who satisfies the accuracy and correctness of particulars provided and furnished by him. In such circumstances we are of the view that the non-signing by applicants has rendered particulars furnished by them unauthenticated and the applications cannot be considered as valid," the Judges held.
The Judges said a perusal of the application forms made it clear that where and in how many places the applicants had to sign.
The TNPSC had invited applications for 1295 posts of assistant surgeons (general) and 530 posts in different specialities in July 2005. In all 7123 candidates had applied and of them 5317 were found eligible to write the test. The applications of 1806 candidates were rejected for various reasons, including non-signing of applications.
The petitioners contended that the reason for rejection was flimsy, unjust and arbitrary as it was only an irregularity, which could be rectified at any stage of recruitment
Saturday, May 6, 2006
A belated but welcome move
by
K. Veeramani (President of the Dravidar Kazhagam.)
at
http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/03/stories/2006050308681100.htm
UNION HUMAN Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh's circular to the Cabinet Secretariat regarding reservation in Central educational institutions has not brought anything new to the domain of public knowledge. It is a follow-up measure to the 93rd Constitutional Amendment that has added clause 5 to Article 15. Accordingly, the state can make any special provision by law for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward class or for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes "insofar as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private institutions whether aided or unaided — other than minority institutions." Article 15(5) of the Constitution came into force on January 20 this year when it received Presidential assent.
In its communication to the Cabinet Secretary on April 8, the Election Commission said Mr. Singh's announcement prima facie amounted to a breach of the model code as it gave new concessions to certain sections of the electorate in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. In his reply, Mr. Singh told the Commission that he had refrained from making a comment to the media on the reservation issue precisely on the ground that the election process was under way in some States. After a National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) function on April 5, he made a reference to the Constitution Amendment and said that necessary follow-up action was under way and a decision would follow after the Assembly elections.
The Centre's move to provide reservation for the Other Backward Classes in Central institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Management, is a belated but commendable one. Among the various measures recommended by the All India Second Backward Classes Commission headed by Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, the V.P. Singh Government sought to implement only 27 per cent reservation in jobs in 1990. It did not attempt to carry out other recommendations, including reservation for OBCs in Central educational institutions.
Reservation in jobs under Article 16(4) will be meaningful and effective only when opportunities to get educated are given to the socially disadvantaged people. It is in view of this fact that the First Constitutional Amendment was made in 1951, after Periyar E.V. Ramasamy launched an agitation against the higher judiciary's ruling that the then composite Madras Government's Order on Communal Representation was unconstitutional. This Amendment has safeguarded the job and education reservation in the State.
Just demands
This should have prompted the Union Government also to meet the demands of social justice to uplift the underprivileged sections of people. It is regrettable that the labours of the First All India Backward Classes Commission (1953-55) under the chairmanship of Kaka Kalelkar, proved to be a futile exercise. Even nearly 60 years after India attained Independence, the Central Government is reluctant to take effective measures to promote the legitimate demands of the OBCs. The demand for reservation for the historically disadvantaged is constitutional, not unconstitutional or extra-constitutional.
When they promote social justice in countries such as the United States under the name of affirmative action or positive discrimination, the upper caste authorities in India put obstacles to similar measures.
Lessons from history
The oft-repeated argument that merit and efficiency will suffer under the quota system does not stand the scrutiny of past history and current experience. In Tamil Nadu, the practice of providing communal representation has been in existence for quite a long time, from the 1920s when it was a part of the composite Madras Province. And yet Tamil Nadu is among the best-administered States in the country and its academic standards remain very high. Due to reservation enjoyed for a long period, the socially and educationally backward classes have so improved their cultural and intellectual atmosphere that they score high marks in public examinations and common entrance tests. What is demanded is not dispensing with competitiveness with regard to less privileged classes, but avoiding competition among unequals.
Let there be competition among equals. It is neither just nor fair to ask the sons and daughters of those who have been traditionally doing only manual jobs to compete with those who have a centuries-old background of academic and literary skills.
Central Government educational institutions have already adopted the quota system in the form of reserving a certain percentage of seats for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, managements quotas, NRIs, the physically handicapped, etc. Again, in this background, allotting 27 per cent of seats to the OBCs, who are socially handicapped and who constitute about 54 per cent of our country's population, should be treated as one among the foremost duties of our Government.
When the disadvantaged communities are sure of getting a certain number of seats, the boys and girls among them gain confidence and begin to cultivate the competitive spirit. They get the opportunity of sharing the experience of excellence and grow up optimistic.
People of a country become strong and progressive when they have social cohesiveness, which depends on providing equal opportunities for different communities and classes. This becomes possible only when the systems and institutions are made inclusive of various sections and not kept exclusive preserves of the privileged.
What is guaranteed by the Constitution should have been implemented from 1951. But reservation in Central educational institutions was not provided even in 1992 when the Union Government provided for job reservation after the Supreme Court judgment in the Mandal Commission Cases (Indra Sawhney versus Union of India). Now the United Progressive Alliance Government has come forward to translate the constitutional promise into a reality. Though belated, it is a welcome proposal.
K. Veeramani (President of the Dravidar Kazhagam.)
at
http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/03/stories/2006050308681100.htm
UNION HUMAN Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh's circular to the Cabinet Secretariat regarding reservation in Central educational institutions has not brought anything new to the domain of public knowledge. It is a follow-up measure to the 93rd Constitutional Amendment that has added clause 5 to Article 15. Accordingly, the state can make any special provision by law for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward class or for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes "insofar as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private institutions whether aided or unaided — other than minority institutions." Article 15(5) of the Constitution came into force on January 20 this year when it received Presidential assent.
In its communication to the Cabinet Secretary on April 8, the Election Commission said Mr. Singh's announcement prima facie amounted to a breach of the model code as it gave new concessions to certain sections of the electorate in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. In his reply, Mr. Singh told the Commission that he had refrained from making a comment to the media on the reservation issue precisely on the ground that the election process was under way in some States. After a National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) function on April 5, he made a reference to the Constitution Amendment and said that necessary follow-up action was under way and a decision would follow after the Assembly elections.
The Centre's move to provide reservation for the Other Backward Classes in Central institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Management, is a belated but commendable one. Among the various measures recommended by the All India Second Backward Classes Commission headed by Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, the V.P. Singh Government sought to implement only 27 per cent reservation in jobs in 1990. It did not attempt to carry out other recommendations, including reservation for OBCs in Central educational institutions.
Reservation in jobs under Article 16(4) will be meaningful and effective only when opportunities to get educated are given to the socially disadvantaged people. It is in view of this fact that the First Constitutional Amendment was made in 1951, after Periyar E.V. Ramasamy launched an agitation against the higher judiciary's ruling that the then composite Madras Government's Order on Communal Representation was unconstitutional. This Amendment has safeguarded the job and education reservation in the State.
Just demands
This should have prompted the Union Government also to meet the demands of social justice to uplift the underprivileged sections of people. It is regrettable that the labours of the First All India Backward Classes Commission (1953-55) under the chairmanship of Kaka Kalelkar, proved to be a futile exercise. Even nearly 60 years after India attained Independence, the Central Government is reluctant to take effective measures to promote the legitimate demands of the OBCs. The demand for reservation for the historically disadvantaged is constitutional, not unconstitutional or extra-constitutional.
When they promote social justice in countries such as the United States under the name of affirmative action or positive discrimination, the upper caste authorities in India put obstacles to similar measures.
Lessons from history
The oft-repeated argument that merit and efficiency will suffer under the quota system does not stand the scrutiny of past history and current experience. In Tamil Nadu, the practice of providing communal representation has been in existence for quite a long time, from the 1920s when it was a part of the composite Madras Province. And yet Tamil Nadu is among the best-administered States in the country and its academic standards remain very high. Due to reservation enjoyed for a long period, the socially and educationally backward classes have so improved their cultural and intellectual atmosphere that they score high marks in public examinations and common entrance tests. What is demanded is not dispensing with competitiveness with regard to less privileged classes, but avoiding competition among unequals.
Let there be competition among equals. It is neither just nor fair to ask the sons and daughters of those who have been traditionally doing only manual jobs to compete with those who have a centuries-old background of academic and literary skills.
Central Government educational institutions have already adopted the quota system in the form of reserving a certain percentage of seats for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, managements quotas, NRIs, the physically handicapped, etc. Again, in this background, allotting 27 per cent of seats to the OBCs, who are socially handicapped and who constitute about 54 per cent of our country's population, should be treated as one among the foremost duties of our Government.
When the disadvantaged communities are sure of getting a certain number of seats, the boys and girls among them gain confidence and begin to cultivate the competitive spirit. They get the opportunity of sharing the experience of excellence and grow up optimistic.
People of a country become strong and progressive when they have social cohesiveness, which depends on providing equal opportunities for different communities and classes. This becomes possible only when the systems and institutions are made inclusive of various sections and not kept exclusive preserves of the privileged.
What is guaranteed by the Constitution should have been implemented from 1951. But reservation in Central educational institutions was not provided even in 1992 when the Union Government provided for job reservation after the Supreme Court judgment in the Mandal Commission Cases (Indra Sawhney versus Union of India). Now the United Progressive Alliance Government has come forward to translate the constitutional promise into a reality. Though belated, it is a welcome proposal.
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