The state government has decided to include the name of the student’s mother too in the SSC certificates to be issued from this academic year, thus correcting a long-prevalent practice smacking of gender discrimination.
At present, only the name of only father or guardian is given on SSC certificates. There has been a consistent demand for inclusion of mother’s name too because of the ordeal being faced by ‘single mothers’ who don’t want to name the fathers.
In the last one year, the government received nearly 500 requests from the single mothers requesting that rules be amended to allow their names to be mentioned as parent. Details provided on SSC certificate are important as the document is accepted as official proof of date of birth and the names of parents while applying for higher studies, passports, etc.
“Students will be given an application form to provide their parents’ names to be printed on the SSC certificate this year,” said the minister for secondary education, Mr Manikya Vara Prasada Rao. “The parents will have to choose the name of either father or mother or both. Only those names which they choose will be printed on the SSC certificate.”
He said the decision was taken following representations on the mental agony being suffered by single mothers. “Once the law department gives its nod, we will issue orders,” Mr Rao said. The government had also recently given exemption to Jogini women whose children were not allowed to study because they could not give the father’s name while seeking admissions.
Under the age-old evil practice of Jogini, young girls are dedicated to the local goddess and subsequently forced into prostitution. “This has enabled more than 42,000 Joginis to mention their name as parent while admitting children in schools,” Mr Rao said.
