Yogi Adityanath government has made a move to ban caste-based reservation quota for SC, ST, OBC in private medical and dental colleges. The newly appointed chief minister just passed an order to remove quota for SC, ST and OBC in medical colleges in the state. After the moral policing of the anti-Romeo squad and the meat ban, this move comes as a huge step forward. While we disapprove of the moral policing of people’s love lives and food habits exercised by government-backed teams in the state, we appreciate the banning of caste-based quota, something that had often resulted in governments being arm-twisted by minorities.

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An uphaul of the education system has been on the UP government’s agenda lately. The introduction of the English language at the nursery level, instead of class 6, is a progressive move in the right direction. Very recently, the UP government had also asked teachers to click selfies with their students as proof that they are attending classes. 

Caste-based reservations, when introduced in India, were originally meant for a larger good. With the inhuman atrocities meted out to a certain section of the society, there was an urgent need to bring them back to the mainstream and give them their rightful place. While reservations helped provide them with an opportunity to better their position in the social fabric, it gradually became an opportunity to just bag a good job. Reservation of seats in engineering and medical colleges on the basis of caste has led to a dilution of education. Institutions that produce future engineers and doctors should have nothing but merit as a criterion of admission. 

At a time when politicians have shied away from banning reservation for fear of backlash, the UP’s government’s move to ban it in medical colleges is a huge step towards quality education. Of all professions, the medical profession is one that should be kept out of caste-based politics and we’re glad it’s finally happening.