2007年VOA标准英语-Indian Court Blocks Government Quota Plan

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
01 April 2007

outlawed1 discrimination based on caste, holds a statue of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Allahabad, India, 23 Mar3 2007 " hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070530/0820310.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Supporter of Bahujan Samaj Party, which outlawed discrimination based on caste, holds a statue of  Bhim Rao Ambedkar, founder2 of BSP, Allahabad, India, 23 Mar 2007

An Indian court has put on hold a controversial government plan to raise the number of college seats set aside for lower caste Hindus. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the government had introduced the measure to fulfill⁴ its pledge to assist disadvantaged groups.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme⁵ Court has asked the government to provide more accurate data on the educational and economic status of India's lower castes, for which the government wants to set aside nearly half the seats in federally funded educational institutions. The court says the government has used 70-year-old data to justify⁶ its plan.

The plan was to take effect this year. It would have doubled the percentage of seats, from about 25 percent to 50 percent, that Indian public colleges have reserved for lower caste Hindus under an existing affirmative action program.

Hinduism divides people into many castes, and those in the lower ranked castes face discrimination. The government says it wants to increase the quotas⁷ to give social and economic opportunity to those in what are known as the "backward classes."

But the plan triggered widespread controversy⁸, and angry street protests by students who say entrance to universities should be based on merit alone.

The protesting students and other critics charge that the government is raising quotas only to widen public support for the ruling Congress Party. They say many of those who would have benefited from the new quotas have already moved up the social and economic ladder.

Independent political analyst⁹ Mahesh Rangarajan notes that the court has not yet ruled against the quotas, or "reservations," as they are known.

"There is no doubt that the tone of the judgment¹⁰ was critical of reservations as a practice and an idea, but they stopped short of ruling it as unconstitutional," he said. "The court has leaned against the way in which reservation policy is being implemented¹¹: in particular, they have objected to the way in which the groups who are classified as eligible¹² for this benefit are being chosen."

Government ministers who spearheaded the plan say they will press ahead with the affirmative action program, and are confident that the court will finally allow its implementation¹³.

Opponents of the plan say it will lower standards in the top professional colleges, which have produced some of the country's most skilled doctors, engineers and managers.

Supporters say quotas are essential to give the lower castes a better chance at quality education, and ensure that more of the population is included in the country's surging economic development.

1 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

7 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

8 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

11 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

12 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

13 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。