As dream crumbles, tribal student returns to cattle rearing in his village
NHRC registers case as student fails to get admission to veterinary, agri courses
31/08/2019, PON VASANTH B.A,CHENNAI
NHRC registers case as student fails to get admission to veterinary, agri courses
31/08/2019, PON VASANTH B.A,CHENNAI
U. Chandran
U. Chandran, a tribal student from an unmotorable hamlet on Bargur hills, who passed out with flying colours in Class XII, despite all odds, has gone back to cattle rearing.
He failed to get admitted to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) and Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) due to alleged policy bias against vocational stream students.
Following a complaint by Sudar, a non-governmental organisation working against child labour, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has now registered a case and has sought a report from the Director of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare (ADTW) Department.
Chandran was the fifth among the 11 children born to Udumutti and Pasuvi from Sundaipodu, roughly 60 km away from Anthiyur in Erode district.
He studied in a vocational stream — Agricultural Practices — in an aided school in Gobichettipalayam, by staying in an ADTW-run hostel. He secured 98% in his core subjects and 74% in total.
Reservation Arithmetic
In TANUVAS, 18 of the 360 seats (5%) in Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry course is reserved for the vocational stream. Despite topping the rank list in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, he failed to get admission due to reservation arithmetic.
As per Tamil Nadu’s reservation policy, 1% is for ST. One percent of 18 is 0.18, which is rounded off to ‘zero’ and hence no seats,” said C. Nataraj of Sudar, adding that Chandran was heartbroken when the news reached him.
Su. Moorthy from the Forum for Education Development, who is fighting along with Mr. Nataraj in seeking justice for Chandran, said the situation in TNAU was worse.
“We have appealed to the Chief Minister’s office to allocate a seat for Chandran. We are hoping for the best,” he added.
U. Chandran, a tribal student from an unmotorable hamlet on Bargur hills, who passed out with flying colours in Class XII, despite all odds, has gone back to cattle rearing.
He failed to get admitted to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) and Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) due to alleged policy bias against vocational stream students.
Following a complaint by Sudar, a non-governmental organisation working against child labour, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has now registered a case and has sought a report from the Director of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare (ADTW) Department.
Chandran was the fifth among the 11 children born to Udumutti and Pasuvi from Sundaipodu, roughly 60 km away from Anthiyur in Erode district.
He studied in a vocational stream — Agricultural Practices — in an aided school in Gobichettipalayam, by staying in an ADTW-run hostel. He secured 98% in his core subjects and 74% in total.
Reservation Arithmetic
In TANUVAS, 18 of the 360 seats (5%) in Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry course is reserved for the vocational stream. Despite topping the rank list in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, he failed to get admission due to reservation arithmetic.
As per Tamil Nadu’s reservation policy, 1% is for ST. One percent of 18 is 0.18, which is rounded off to ‘zero’ and hence no seats,” said C. Nataraj of Sudar, adding that Chandran was heartbroken when the news reached him.
Su. Moorthy from the Forum for Education Development, who is fighting along with Mr. Nataraj in seeking justice for Chandran, said the situation in TNAU was worse.
“We have appealed to the Chief Minister’s office to allocate a seat for Chandran. We are hoping for the best,” he added.
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