Kasaragod: Shivanand KB (21) has one goal: to break free from poverty. He stands on the threshold of his dream after cracking the Common Admission Test (CAT). With an 82.30 percentile, he qualifies to apply for MBA programmes at top IITs under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). However, it felt as though the government had tripped him at the finish line when he tried to get the EWS certificate on Tuesday.

Shivanand lives in a rented house with his parents at Kanjiradukkam in Kasaragod's Kodom-Belur grama panchayat."I went to Kodom village for the EWS certificate because it is my mother's native place. But the village officer asked me to go to the Balla village office in Madikai grama panchayat because our ration card was issued there," he said.

When he went to the Balla village office, he was told that the village officer was on leave and would return only on January 25. To his shock, he was also told that the officer had not given the charge to anyone else.

"The last date to apply at IIT-Delhi is January 24. How can officials do this to the people!" a dejected Shivanand told Onmanorama from the Balla village office.

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"I buried myself in books for three years. I didn’t attend a single-family wedding or go out with friends because I wanted to crack the CAT on my first attempt," he said. With his family unable to afford coaching classes, he prepared on his own.

When Shivanand pressed the other officials, they said that the department was in the process of handing over the charge to someone else. He also said that Akshaya Centre asked him to approach the village office directly as the e-District portal did not have the option to apply for an EWS certificate.

The student called the village officer's official phone, but it went unanswered. Onmanorama also called the village officer but did not get a response.

Shivanand, a final year BBA student at Kasaragod's St Pius X College in Rajapuram, will be a first-generation graduate in his family. His father, Raju P R (45) has studied up to Class 7 and is a rubber tapper. His mother, Lekha C (42) has studied up to Class 9.

Over the past five years, the family has moved between 10 rented houses, primarily for his convenience. His parents are pinning their hopes on his education. For Shivanand, getting into an IIT is his ticket to a better life — his passport to freedom.

"I have a chance to take a shot at IIT-Delhi, but it will be unfortunate to miss it because a village officer is on leave," Shivanand said. He is also eyeing the MBA programme at IIT-Madras, with its application deadline on January 31— if that offers any consolation.

ADM responds
When contacted, Collector Inbasekar K said the village officer was on leave for just one day. "The applicant has already reached out to the Tahsildar directly. The application has not been submitted yet. He has been instructed to submit it tomorrow (Wednesday)," he said, quoting the Tahsildar's text message.

The Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Akhil P said he would assign charge to another official at the Balla village office on Wednesday. He advised Shivanand to visit the village with his application. The in-charge official would accept the application, prepare a report and forward it to the Tahsildar. If he is eligible, the tahsildar will issue the EWS certificate without any delay, said the ADM.

Shivanand said he wasn’t the only one affected, as several other applicants had also returned from the Balla village office due to the lack of an officer in charge.

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