M JESU THIAGARAJ Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner has approached this Court so issue a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to correct the petitioner's date of birth in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (hereinafter referred to as SSLC) as 21. 10. 1114 Malayalam Era corresponding to 4. 6. 1939 instead of 7. 5. 1939.

(2.) THE case of the petitioner is briefly stated hereunder: According to him, the petitioner is holder of M. A. , m. Ed. , and he was appointed as B. T. Assistant in the St. Lawrence Higher Secondary School, madathattu-vilai, Kanayakumari District in the year 1973. Since 1981 he was employed as post Graduate teacher in the same Higher Secondary School . He was born on 21. 10. 1114 (Malayalam Era ). In all school certificate, his date of birth is correctly entered in Malayalam Era as21. 10. 1114. However, while entering his date of birth in English Era it was wrongly entered as 7. 5. 1939 instead of 4. 6. 1939. THE said mistake is crept in S. S. L. C. Book, wherein his date of birth is 7. 5. 1939 instead of 4. 6. 1939. He submitted many representations before the secondary school authorities seeking rectification of the mistake. According to the petitioner, he is not seeking any change of Date of Birth, but only rectification of mistake in the S. S. L. C. Book and Service Register. In the above circumstances, he has approached this court to issue necessary direction for correction of Date of Birth in the S. S. L. C. by order dated 2. 2. 1995 this court has ordered Notice of Motion. After service of notice, the above writ petition is posted for hearing.

(3.) THERE is no dispute that the petitioner who is a holder of two post graduate degrees joined the third respondent school in the year 1973. From 1981, he was acting as post graduate teacher in the same school. Even though he is having higher educational qualifications, he has not taken any care to verify the correct date of birth immediately after completion of s. S. L. C. As a matter of fact, on the representation made by the petitioner to the Director of School Education, the director has correctly informed that,' the change of date of birth in S. S. L. C. cannot be entertained after the pupil has completed his secondary school leaving certificate course appearing for the s. S. L. C. public examination.' The petitioner has not explained why he has not taken any steps from 1973 onwards. The bald statement that he came to know only recently cannot be accepted.