Scrap religion column in forms, Yukthivadis urge President Pranab Mukherjee
Thiruvananthapuram: Bharatheeya Yukthivadi Sangam has petitioned President Pranab Kumar Mukherjee and Governor P. Sathasivam seeking the abolition of caste/religion column on school and college admission forms.
The Sangam in the petition questioned the relevance of religion and caste for school and college admissions. If at all this is needed for some other purposes, let there be a separate application form for the needy people.
The petition pointed out that such column was against the spirit of the general education department, order GO (MS) 77/74/G.Edn issued on April 1974, against denying admission to students if their parents are not interested to fill in the Religion or Caste in the school admission form. The order made it clear that, in such cases, parents may be allowed to fill the column as "Religion/Caste not stated”.
Even though the order was in force, the state government had failed to incorporate this facility in the new computer database facility created by National Informatics Centre in 2004 for making the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC).
Though the government had rejected a proposal to this effect by the sangam, the latter won a favourable High Court order forcing the government to permit “Non-religion/Secular/Not applicable" as the entry for Religion/Caste. Many universities in Kerala, however, make it mandatory for completing the online admission process even now.
A representation was made to the government by Ravi Moovattupuzha, vice-president, Bharatheeya Yukthivadi Sangam, on April 29, 2014 for making provision in the software to incorporate Non-religion/Secular/Not applicable as the entry against Religion/Caste for those who have no faith in religion and caste.
Though the government rejected this prayer, the petitioner approached Kerala High Court and obtained a favourable order forcing the government to permit “Non-religion/Secular/Not applicable" as the entry for Religion/Caste.
