NEW DELHI, November 24, 2011
Exams where caste stigma has no answer
Vijetha S.N.
Manish Kumar landed in the Capital from Bihar three years ago with
happy thoughts that his childhood dream of becoming a doctor was
almost within grasp.
He was on the right path, with a seat secured in a well-known medical
college and with the realisation that he could finally shed the caste
identity that was part of his small-town upbringing.
In the three years since, Manish has studied hard, seen the insides of
a court room, filed RTI applications and knocked at the doors of
government offices, but has still not managed to get past the second
year of the MBBS course.
"I was a first year medical student at Vardhman Mahavir Medical
College in 2008 when I first failed in physiology. This happened again
in July 2010 and I sat for the supplementary exams in October. I did
not know how to react when I found out that I had failed again in the
supplementary exams along with 24 of my classmates, every one of whom
belonged to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or some other
reserved category," says Manish, adding that he received a bigger
shock when he found that among the 25, there were students who had
been failing only in physiology from 2004 onwards until 2009.
Manish and his friends realised something else later. "The university
allots roll numbers to the reserved category candidates in a row and
the answer-sheets are coded and collected in a way that the identity
of the reserved category students is revealed easily."
Ever since this revelation, the students seem to have knocked at every
door that could help them -- from filling RTI applications to
complaints with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and even
going to the High Court.
However, the legal battle only brought them some temporarily relief.
"Under the Court's supervision, we took another exam in which every
one of us, including those who had failed repeatedly since 2004,
passed. The Court also passed an order that we be allowed to attend
classes for the second year and that due consideration be given for
shortage of attendance."
Since then the students have been attending second year classes but
were prevented from taking their exams in mid-November. "We were told
we did not have sufficient attendance. The Principal usually refused
to meet us and whenever he had, he pretended that he was not aware of
anything and seems to have washed his hands off the whole affair."
When contacted by The Hindu , the Principal refused to discuss the matter.
These days Manish spends all his time worrying whether he would be
allowed at least to take the supplementary exams in March, and praying
that he would not be humiliated every time he attends class.
"Right after the court case, the lecturers would tell our classmates
to look at us -- the people who could only gain entrance into a
medical college through reservations and couldn't pass without a High
Court order. After some complaints it has toned down," says Manish.
The students, however, believe another legal battle is imminent. "Our
lawyer has asked us to file for contempt of court. I don't see this
ending easily."
------------------------------------
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/
PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/
Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
No comments:
Post a Comment