Opinion: A Retrograde Decision

By Sandeep Sahu At a surface level, the decision to earmark a certain percentage of engineering and medical seats for students of government schools is unexceptionable. Students who have the misfortune of studying in government schools are indeed at a great disadvantage vis-à-vis their counterparts in elite private schools, especially in urban areas, when it […]

Opinion: A Retrograde Decision

By Sandeep Sahu

At a surface level, the decision to earmark a certain percentage of engineering and medical seats for students of government schools is unexceptionable. Students who have the misfortune of studying in government schools are indeed at a great disadvantage vis-à-vis their counterparts in elite private schools, especially in urban areas, when it comes to all-India entrance examinations like JEE and NEET. The need for providing a level playing field, therefore, can hardly be overemphasized. But the cure for this malaise found by the state government, I am afraid, is worse than the disease itself.