The committee formed by the state government to review the reservation policy and roster system should include experts like a retired Supreme Court judge and reputable economist, pastor-turned-politician Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh has told Highland Post.
Pyrtuh recently host a live show as a moderator among panelists that included cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh, newly-appointed opposition chief whip Saleng Sangma, Voice of the People Party spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh, social commentator Bhogtoram Mawroh and pressure group leader Robert Kharjahrin.
“We need experts like a retired judge of the Supreme Court to look into the law and jurisprudence aspect and a good economist from a university like the Delhi School of Economics, etc and experts from our state as well,” Pyrtuh said.
Stating that the subject of reservation is very complex and divisive, he added that, especially on law and jurisprudence, the committee really needs good people.
If there is a review of the reservation policy, there are certain issues that the expert committee and all the others have to consider, like the blocks and districts in Meghalaya that are the most backward and how to uplift them, Pyrtuh, who ran unsuccessfully in this year’s state election, said.
If you make a student from a far-flung village and a student from Shillong sit in one place to compete in the same exams, it is obvious that a student from the city will have more confidence and this is an area that needs to be looked into., he said, adding that another consideration is to look at the income inequality among the tribals, including accessibility to education, healthcare and employment. Students from very backward areas should be given the ‘discrimination points’ as per their circumstances.
“The reservation policy in Meghalaya is also about competing claims by the two major tribes and, since 1972, this policy has been the result of a purely political decision that still stands to date despite many complaints. If the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance 2 government changes or amend this policy after the review, it has to ensure that it stands in the court of law, be legal and constitutional,” Pyrtuh added.
