Caste system in modern India has divided the nation into different communities with different perceptions and the most divisive factor. While the majority adheres to Hinduism as their faith, caste divides them for wrong reasons often.
There is a theory that the caste system has denied equality to many and gave opportunities to a few. Caste system has been perceived as being practiced by the front line castes to the disadvantage of the other communities. It is also said that caste system led to the oppression of disadvantaged caste groups. But the matter of fact is that India was ruled prior to independence for hundreds of years by the Muslim and British rulers who invaded the nation and governed the destinies.
Caste system has led to reservations of every kind among the citizens. The focus is not on helping the less privileged or under privileged to compete with the so called forward castes. The political system only perpetuated the continuance of the caste system and succeeded in creating vote banks on the strength of which rulers are elected. It is agreed by one and all that equal opportunities be given to all its citizens irrespective of caste, creed, race and religion.
Those people who used the benefits of reservation continue to enjoy the reservation facilities for their progeny though they are no longer under privileged or under developed. The creamy layer that benefited the most from the caste reservation system continues to claim the rights and privileges that are no longer needed by them. They appear to be expressing their loyalty to the caste from which they came and benefited, and there by attracting other still to be befitted people to flock round them only to benefit the already privileged among those oppressed castes.
All the financially backward people must be treated equally and benefits be made available to them so that they equip themselves to compete with the haves in the society. It must start with education system. Income be made the sole criteria and seats for the underprivileged or back ward classes and children of such parents must be given choice to admit their child in any school or college of their choice and the government should reimburse the entire expenses for education to the economically dis advantaged families. Those rich and powerful, to which ever caste they may belong to must be asked to pay for the education on their own.This ensures that quality education is made available to deserving children without financial burden for those families that can hardly afford quality education. This financial backing must continue for the economically under privileged classes till they get a reasonable job with good salary.
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