Political parties in India are the cause for brain drain to countries like USA, UK, Australia, Canada and the Middle East since for the purpose of vote banks politics, job reservations are being resorted to for SCs/STs and OBCs thus preventing the meritorious students from getting good jobs in India. Instead of job reservations for backward classes it would be suggested that SCs, STs and OBCs students should be given access to high quality higher education by giving them interest-free loans so that they can pursue the educational avenues of their choice. These loans can be easily paid back when they start earning after their education. This will not only ensure that the backward class will be able to compete with students in the general category, but also uplift the educational standard of all students leading to greater degree of merit in all fields. It would also be prudent to make education job-oriented by having tie-ups with at least the PSU to train students for particular jobs by making it mandatory to have practical training imparted to the students to hone job-oriented skills. Most of what is learnt in schools and colleges is hardly ever used practically in life and is only of academic significance. In Goa it would be in the fitness of things to abolish reservations and to concentrate on strengthening imparting quality education and job-oriented training for our college students.
Elvidio Miranda, via email
