A woman from Karur district moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday seeking relief after the authorities of the government school where her daughter was studying had insisted that they should provide the first letter of the father’s name as initial of the girl, despite the fact that all government records carried the first letter of the mother’s name as initial.
The petitioner, M. Pothumponnu of Kadavur taluk in Karur district, said her daughter P. Kaviya was studying in class IX in Kadavur Government High School. The petitioner said her husband had deserted the family and she was living with her parents. She was taking care of the family and the educational expenses of her daughter, she said.
She said at the time of school admission itself she had provided the first letter of her name as the initial to her daughter and all government records, including Aadhaar card, carried the same. She said her daughter preferred the first letter of her mother’s name as the initial and not that of her father’s name.
Under these circumstances, her daughter applied for a scholarship examination. But, the school authorities advised her to provide the first letter of her father’s name as initial. She said the authorities had told her that the issue would be raised at the time of class X public examination too.
Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy sought a response from the State. The court adjourned the hearing till October 26.
