Chhattisgarh

• 18 May 2022

The caste notified in 'English' in the caste certificates of the persons belonging to SCs and STs shall be validated

Why in News?

• On May 17, 2022, a letter to this effect has been issued by the State Government to all district collectors regarding the recognition of caste notified in 'English' in the caste certificates of persons belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe category in the state.

Key Points

• It may be recalled that in the meeting of the Council of Ministers held on May 1, 2022 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, it was decided to validate the caste notified in 'English' and to mention the caste notified in English in the caste certificates.
• The objective is to remove the difficulties being faced by the SC and ST persons in obtaining caste certificates due to quantitative error.
• A letter issued by the General Administration Department to the Collectors states that at present, social status certificates (caste certificates) are issued in the prescribed format under the rules framed under the Chhattisgarh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Regulation of Certification of Social Status) Act, 2013.
• Caste certificates of certain castes are not being issued due to the accented differences in the Hindi in different communities of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes.
• The letter states that the general administration department's circular dated September 24, 2013 mentions that in a particular situation, an applicant may need a social status certificate issued in English. The competent authorities are, therefore, directed that if the applicant is demanded to issue a Social Status Certificate in accordance with the format prescribed by the Government of India or in English, he/she may be issued a Permanent Social Status Certificate in this format after due scrutiny and procedure.
• In continuation of the direction given in this circular, it has been clarified that a list of caste names of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes notified in English, Hindi, English has been published by the Government of India for the State of Chhattisgarh.
• There is no confusion or dispute in the English pronunciation in this published list, therefore, it has been decided by the State Government to mention the caste notified in 'English' in the caste certificates to be issued to persons belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State of Chhattisgarh.