A girl belonging to the Irula community and her family, have been running from pillar to post for the last five years to get a community certificate.
The girl, M. Dhanalakshmi, 17, a resident of Parangini village in Vanur taluk, had scored 354/600 in the class 12 (plus two exams), the results of which were announced recently. Even after repeated attempts and applications forwarded twice by the Vanur MLA M. Chakrapani to the revenue authorities, Dhanalakshmi still has no certificate in hand. As a result she is unable to pursue her higher education.
“Though I had made several attempts to get the certificate, nothing worked. What is more perplexing is that while my relatives including my cousins had got the certificate, I am yet to receive the certificate,” she says.
Finding that her family’s efforts to get community certificates had not borne fruit, Dhanalakshmi hit upon the idea of getting a ‘family tree’ ready recalling the lineage of her parents and relatives.
According to Prof. Prabha Kalvimani, founder of Pazhangudi Irular Paathukappu Sangam (PIPS), “The girl, with the support of her paternal grandmother sketched the family tree of the generations, in support of her claim that she belongs to the Irula community.”
Though the Vanur MLA himself had forwarded the girl’s application in 2016 and 2020, there has been no response so far. Without the certificate, pursuing higher education for the girl is impossible,” he says.
Mr. Kalvimani said that Dhanalakshmi’s two elder sisters had also completed class 12. But they were married off by the family, as they too, couldn’t get community certificate to pursue their higher education.
Dhanalakshmi was the school topper in the SSLC and plus one exams and had scored 438/500 and 353/600 respectively.
The girl would have scored more marks in plus two had the Revenue officials considered their repeated pleas and issued her the certificate, he says.
To get a community certificate, students have to send in an application to the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) through the school principal or headmaster. The RDO will inspect and conduct a spot enquiry before issuing the certificate. However, the application goes through various levels from a VAO to the RDO. The students don’t get certificate due to the lethargic attitude of officials, he added.
