Battle of the Castes

For centuries a rigid caste system governed social mobility among Hindus in India. High-ranked Brahman priests, for example, were forbidden to share food, water or even shadows with Dalits-sweepers and laborers often called “outcastes” or “untouchables.” When India became independent in 1947, untouchability was officially abolished, and in 1990 authorities reserved 22% of state university places and at least 12.5% of government jobs for Dalits and members of the lower castes. But caste continues to haunt India. Last week the government reserved an additional 27% of university seats for groups that are officially known as the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), to go into effect next June. That decision sparked demonstrations in many Indian cities and towns. University faculty staged walkouts, students protested and public hospitals shut their doors to all but emergency cases. “Modern India should be built on merit, not caste,” says Sudip Sen, a Ph.D student in biochemistry at the supercompetitive All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Officials say the fresh quota is necessary because the lower castes are still marginalized. But critics say the government is merely pandering to the OBCs because they’re a big voting bloc. While authorities say they will increase overall admissions to compensate for the extra reserved seats, there’s no plan yet to hire more teaching staff or upgrade facilities.