Why is merit-based selection acceptable under the Right to Equality?

Correct answer: Because it gives fair competition to all eligible people

Correct answer: A, because merit-based selection gives all eligible people a fair chance to compete. The Right to Equality prohibits unfair exclusion based on identity, but it does not require a selection process to ignore relevant qualifications. If the same known criteria are applied fairly to all eligible applicants, choosing according to ability or performance is not discrimination. Option A is correct because it combines equal opportunity with a relevant selection standard. Option B is wrong because caste-based selection as a reason for exclusion is not a neutral merit criterion. Option C is wrong because birthplace is not the same as ability or performance. Option D is wrong because religion is an identity, not a fair measure of merit. Memory cue: equal opportunity means the same fair rules, not necessarily identical results.