For over a week now, 30-year-old Vanita Kunder of Chitrapura near Baikampady has paid several visits to the offices of the village accountant, the Tahsildar and the Deputy Commissioner, seeking a caste certificate for her six-year-old daughter Druthi. A Mogaveera by caste, Ms. Kunder wants the certificate for her daughter mentioning the same caste that will help Druthi get free education in a private school nearby.
Ms. Kunder’s application has not evoked any response as she has failed to provide the caste certificate of her husband from Gujarat, who has, however, severed ties with her after a divorce in 2015. “I have placed the facts before the authorities. But they are insisting that I should reveal the caste of my estranged husband. When he has cut family links with me, how I can get a document declaring his caste,” asked Ms. Kundar, with helplessness.
Questioning the stand of the officials, Ms. Kunder said the rigid stance is making it difficult for a single mother like her in getting benefits for her child. “It is with a meagre salary of Rs. 6,000 per month that I am running my family comprising an aged mother, a younger brother and my daughter. What prevents the officials from considering my caste and my income in giving benefits to my daughter under RTE (Right to Education) Act,” she asked.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said the caste certificate of a child cannot be issued in absence of the caste certificate of the father. “There are enough rulings of the Supreme Court that make it clear that the caste of a child is the one of his father. We cannot act against a precedent,” he said. However, Mr. Ibrahim said, Ms. Kunder can apply afresh and take part in the third round of selection process to be held in the next few days.
Ms. Kunder married Prakash and moved to Gujarat and lived there for some years. Druthi was born in November 2009. Ms. Kunder said she was unable to bear “harassment” by her husband and she returned to Mangaluru two years ago to stay with her aged mother. She paid fees on her own for her daughter’s kindergarten at the nearby Bertrand Russell School. Ms. Kunder now wants her daughter to get free education from first standard at the same school, and she needs the caste certificate.
Nisha Kiran, correspondent of the school, said Druthi deserves free education under the RTE Act. “We have seats in our school. We hope Ms. Kunder’s contention is upheld and her daughter Druthi is allowed to continue her studies in our school,” she said.
