Date:27/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/27/stories/2007102760820800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Court tells headmaster to admit student

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered a panchayat school headmaster to admit a girl student to Standard I without insisting on a community certificate.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice P. Jyothimani, passed the order on a petition filed by a minor, S. Susmitha, represented by her father and natural guardian G. Subramani.

The petition said she had sought admission to the Panchayat Union Primary School at Valayachettiyur in Salem district. In the prescribed application form, Mr. Subramani mentioned that they belonged to the Konda Reddy community.

The school authorities directed the petitioner to obtain a community certificate to the effect that they belonged to the Konda Reddy community for admission to Standard I.

Challenging the direction, the petitioner submitted there was no need for production of community certificate at the time of joining Standard I.

The Bench, in its order, directed the headmaster to admit the girl on the basis of the application form, but made it clear that the petitioners should not claim community status merely based on an entry made in the application.