Lack of caste certificate causes trouble to orphan students in Andhra Pradesh

N Rani, an 18-year-old orphan girl, was denied a hostel seat for her inability to produce the caste certificate.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

SRIKAKULAM: Orphans and rescued children face several problems to pursue education due to their inability to submit caste certificate at the time of admission in colleges.

As a result, they are denied scholarship, accommodation in social welfare hostel and other benefits though they are in dire need of them to pursue education. 

N Rani, an 18-year-old orphan girl, was denied a hostel seat for her inability to produce the caste certificate.

She had grown up in Balasadanam, an orphanage of the Women Development and Child Welfare Department after she was rescued at Srikakulam Road railway station almost 12 years ago.

Six other orphans staying in Balasadanam are going to complete their high school education in the next few years.  

They too are set to face the same problem as they do not have caste certificate to get the educational benefits for the poor and underprivileged.

“We rescued Rani at Srikakulam Road railway station almost 12 years ago. At that time, the girl was 6-years-old and she might be from neighbouring Odisha,” said I Laxmi Naidu, Srikakulam child protection officer. 

As she was an orphan, Rani was shifted to Balasadanam. She successfully completed her secondary school education by staying in Balasadanam.

She secured 8.7  GPA (Grade Point Average) in SSC examinations this year and joined the junior college in Srikakulam.

Orphan girl gets hostel seat after Spandana

Due to lack of a caste certificate, N Rani, an orphan girl, is being considered as an OC. She has to pay fees and bear other expenses.

When child protection officials approached Collector J Nivas during Spandana seeking hostel seat for the girl, he directed the tribal welfare officials to admit her in ST hostel

Speaking to TNIE, Rani said she wants to become a police officer or join Indian Army.

She attributed her good performance at the school level to the encouragement and support given by Balasadanam officials.  

“After joining the college, I have started facing problems as I could not produce the mandatory caste certificate to get scholarship, hostel accommodation and other benefits.” 

As she is being considered as an OC due to lack of a caste certificate, Rani has to pay admission and tuition fees and bear other expenses.

Child protection officials had paid her college fees from their own pockets considering her plight. 

When they approached District Collector J Nivas during the Spandana programme last week seeking hostel accommodation for the girl, he directed the tribal welfare officials to admit her in an ST hostel.

“We admitted Rani in the hostel though she does not have caste certificate. Now, we are maintaining a manual record for her. The record will be updated once she submits her caste certificate,” Tribal Welfare Officer Prameela Rani said. 

In some cases, grandparents and distant relatives admit children in the orphanage by submitting requisite documents and they will not face any problem to pursue college education.

Something needs to be done in case of rescued children who are admitted in Balasadanam, to enable them to pursue college education without facing any problem. 

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