Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Chetti forum demands educational perks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Chetti Mahasabha has demanded a special educational package for uplifting the Chetti community, including the restoration of the classification Other Backward Hindu to the community.

This was stated by general secretary of the mahasabha Umayanalloor K. Ramachandran Pillai at a press conference here recently. The community was perhaps the only one in the State which could not make its presence felt in the professional education front, he said.

The government should consider giving the Chetti community scholarships that are given to minority communities. Even though there is a government order specifying that the ‘non-creamy layer’ certificate be given to the Chetti community, the certificate was not being issued by the Revenue authorities in Palakkad district. In the OBC list in the gazette and in the prospectus issued by the Public Service Commission, the correction ‘Chitty/ Chetties including sub-caste’ must be made. “This is one community that does not have any representation in bodies such as universities and devaswom boards. This situation should change. The government should also sanction educational institutions to the Chetti community that does not own even one such institution at present,” Mr. Pillai said.

Village officers should obtain a certificate from the Mahasabha while issuing a caste certificate for Chettis to ensure that the benefits are not appropriated by others.

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