A plan presented by Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis for a federal college loan program which would tie payments to graduating students’ income is flawed.

The proposal is aimed at middle-class students who are not eligible for many need-based loan programs. Students who graduate and go on to make large salaries would end up subsidizing the loans taken by students who end up in lower salaried positions.

But the key for this program to work is based on the ability to pay. Success of the plan depends on attracting students who expect high paying jobs to opt for the loan program as their choice for financial assistance. It is very unlikely though that students who do expect high salaries will want a loan with payments tied to that salary.

If enough students receiving high paying jobs did not enroll in the program, the federal government would wind up subsidizing the loans, or the students in the lower paying positions would be forced to pay more.

The program also could create problems for employers of students, particularly work-study employers. Campus employers already are having trouble filling positions, in part because many students would rather take loans than work.

With a national shortage of students working for food services in universities across the nation, it would be better to encourage students to work for tuition money. In addition, money earned through work-study jobs does not have to be paid back.

Too many college students are graduating with large loans to pay off, and the Dukakis plan only would encourage more borrowing.