For many people of Hyderabad-Karnataka, obtaining an eligibility certificate for availing benefits under Article 371(J) of the Constitution that provides special status to H-K region, has become a punishment rather than a convenience. Candidates have been complaining that the certificate-issuing authorities have made a simple process complex by forcing them to produce several documents to prove their eligibility.
Residents allege that many government departments and universities continue to issue recruitment and admission notifications without provisions for reservation to candidates of H-K region under the Article 371(J) of the Constitution.
Implementing authorities do not have thorough knowledge about the Article and related regulations. Meanwhile, lack of awareness among H-K residents, especially students and job aspirants, has contributed to the situation.
In order to put an end to the lack of communication between citizens and implementing authorities , Hyderabad Karnataka Horata Samiti (HKHS), a civil society organisation, that had been in the forefront of the people's struggles for Article 371(J), has come up with the idea of launching a website to be officially launched on Saturday. The website has useful information about Article 371(J) including government orders and job and admission notifications.
According to Dr. Razak Ustad, vice-president of the samiti, the main purpose of the website is minimising the number of eligible candidates being deprived of their rights of availing reservations in education, jobs and promotions under Article 371(J), due to lack of information.
