EITHER EQUALITYOR RESERVATIONS Elvidio Miranda India cannot afford to have both, equality of opportunity as far as education is concerned and thereafter job selection and reservations as well. The time has come to move to a higher level, where every form of equality of education up to the graduation level should be made affordable, either making it free up to the 12th standard level or providing low-interest easy installment paying loans that will facilitate everyone to get the education of the desired level by free choice. If this is done reservations on the basis of caste, creed or even gender should not be allowed. Having provided equal opportunity to get the best education, no reservations should be allowed but merit should only be the sole criteria for obtaining jobs. This will build a society where everyone is upwardly mobile by sheer dint of merit and a system where nepotism, cronyism and bribery for obtaining jobs is totally eradicated. It might seem far-fetched, but definitely not impossible. Until the quest for merit only job appointments are fulfilled, India will lag behind and most of our scholars will migrate to other developed countries and our society will stop retaining the best talent in all fields. There should be very strict tests for practical ability, written proficiency and oral aptitude without bias.
