Reservation/Quota/Mandal: My point of view

Yesterday, the indian govt decided to go ahead with implementing 27% reservation for other backward classes (obc). It adds to the already existing 22.5% of reserved seats for SC/ST.

Providing these quota/reservation is thought of as a way to improve the condition of masses. But, I don't get the sense to implement them in the elite schools like IIT's/IIM's/AIIMS, the ones which are pioneers and are meant to groom few extraordinary talents. They are the face of India. They are the ones who have the responsibility to hold the flag for India. How can we afford to give it to anybody less than the best? The logic of increasing the seats would be kind of diluting the quality and reduce the talent grooming. (See an article by Prof. M. Balakrishnan).

I am not extremely against reservation on caste lines as long as we are not able to implement some other better parameters. But, we need to keep in mind the motto with which these institutes have been set-up. They are there to groom some promising talents who can achieve something big for the society rather than to provide education to masses. Even the performance of reserved category candidates haven't been very wonderful (See Karan vs Arjun). To accomodate those few who are really talented but couldn't fare well because of some disadvantes we can have small quota but a quota as huge as 50% in iit's/iim's/aiims completely defeats their motto of being there.

I propose to have three to four category of universities (say A, B, C and D). We can have a varying amount of quota in these univ's (say 50% for D, 25% for C, 12.5% for B and 5% for A). This grading would enable A grade univ's to strive for world-class products. Also, as a medium/long term strategy we need to work on three points.

1. Try to evolve a parameter other than based on caste lines (preferably some economic)
2. Push the quota system towards the early stages of education and free the higher education from it eventually. Post-graduate studies should be freed from any kind of quota/reservation from today only.
3. Most important of all we need many more institutions in all the above-mentioned categories.

I don't know if this is all but this is what i currently think and i am ever-ready for discourse/debate and even ready for change of thought. Do drop by some suggestions or any link to any article/book you feel i need to go through.