Uproar over homework on reservation system
NEWDELHI: Class 8 students from a private school in east Delhi were asked write on the “inequality” created by quota reservation system and the brief for the question stated reservation was a “big impediment in the development of our nation”. The holiday homework project also implied that “undeserving” people were getting opportunities due to the reservation system.
Some parents raised objection to the homework, following which the school removed the question from its webpage which listed the holiday homework. Officials from Shaheed Rajpal DAV Public School, Dayanand Vihar, on Friday said the question had been “misinterpreted”.
The questions were part of the
A mother of a Class 8 student alleged the project doesn’t mention anything about caste system in the country and why reservation was started. “I was shocked to read about this project. The framing of the question paper clearly implies that undeserving people are getting opportunities due to quota,” the mother said on condition of anonymity.
She said, “The idea that people from reserved categories don’t have merit and are undeserving is something that one has to face even in jobs today. This notion is wrong and should not be perpetuated to children.”
Principal Renu Laroiya said the question was being “misinterpreted” so the school decided to remove it. “I did not find the statements made in the question appropriate and have asked it to be removed. However, the inten-
THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL SAID THEY REMOVED THE QUESTION BECAUSE IT WAS BEING ‘MISINTERPRETED’
tion of the teacher was to make students think that if the purpose of reservation is being fulfilled or not. The teacher wanted a discussion on what students think and why they think that,” she said.
By Friday, a screenshot of the questions was being shared on social media.
“A friend informed me about it. We will approach (Delhi government’s) education department and may take legal recourse,” said Rajkumar, a political science teacher at a Delhi University college.