Author: Raheel Dhattiwala
Publication: The Times of India
Date: June 10, 2006
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1636810.cms
They dominate the merit list and are studying
a language that has-- since the caste system took root-- been the privilege
of the Brahmins.
These are SC, ST and OBC students, studying
Sanskrit at the Gujarat University, whose names occupy 70 per cent of the
merit list! Of the 275 students in the open category merit list who cleared
their bachelors for MA in Sanskrit at the University School of Languages,
200 are SCs, STs and OBCs. Seven of the top 10 on the list are from the backward
classes.
Professor and director of school of languages
Vasantkumar Bhatt says, "Looks like the Brahmins have lost their monopoly
in Sanskrit!" But for Kalol-based Mital Chavda, who tops the merit list
at the school, it has nothing to do with caste. "Is English a language
of the British anymore?" she argues. Agrees Mahesh Solanki, standing
fifth on the merit list. Also an SC candidate, this son of a farmer from Radhanpur
says, "No particular caste can lay their claim to a language."
Both claim to have chosen Sanskrit for higher
education, because they aspire to be teachers. With most of these students
hailing from villages around Ahmedabad and belonging to economically backward
families, a secure job figures on top of their priority list. "Their
financial position often leads them to take up Sanskrit which assures a job
as a vidya sahayak in government schools," Bhatt says.
Last year, 70 per cent of the students in
MA-I and 69 per cent in MA-II who enrolled for undertaking study in Sanskrit
at the university, were from the backward category. According to Bhatt, the
dominance of these classes in taking up the Sanskrit course has been the dominating
trend for the past six years-- which takes you to the reservation debate once
again.
While Chavda, daughter of a police constable,
feels that reservation does boost opportunities for the backward classes,
another SC candidate for the MA programme, Haripriya Amin, is vehemently against
it. "It's because of our performance that we got through the open category.
I don't think more reservation is required," says this 20-year-old from
Kheda.