Maharashtra board removes caste column on hall tickets after criticism

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education MSBSHSE has found itself embroiled in controversy over the inclusion of a caste column on this yearrsquos examination hall tickets drawing widespread criticism from academicians parents and various stakeholders ultimately prompting the board to withdraw the decision and issue new hall ticketsThe matter came to light after students downloaded their hall tickets for their exam scheduled for FebruaryMarch 2025 and discovered the caste column which was absent in previous yearsParents teachers and students strongly criticised the decision arguing it could lead to unnecessary castebased discrimination and undermine students dignityThe Std XI SSC exams are scheduled from February 21 to March 17 and the Std XII HSC exams will take place from February 11 to March 11Boardrsquos clarificationMSBSHSE Chairman Sharad Gosavi issued a statement addressing the concerns He emphasised that the hall tickets did not specify a studentrsquos caste but only their caste category or group ldquoThis was done purely for the convenience of students and not to inconvenience themrdquo he saidAccording to Gosavi errors in studentsrsquo details such as name parentsrsquo names caste or caste category recorded in the school or junior collegersquos general register often create difficulties laterldquoMany students approach us with complaints about incorrect caste or category information which leads to hurdles in future education or while availing scholarships By including the caste category on hall tickets students and schools could identify and correct discrepancies in timerdquo Gosavi elaboratedThe board also justified the move as a step to simplify the process of accessing government scholarships provided by the Tribal Welfare and the Social Justice Departments ldquoAccurate recording of caste information in the schoolrsquos general register helps students claim these scholarships without unnecessary delays Mentioning the caste category on hall tickets ensures any discrepancies are resolved promptlyrdquo said GosaviWithdrawal of caste columnFollowing widespread criticism the state board decided to withdraw the caste column field from all hall tickets In an official circular the board clarified ldquoThe caste category column on the hall tickets is being cancelled and it should be noted that the other information regarding the examination of the students will remain unchangedrdquoThe board further announced that new hall tickets would be made available for download from January 23 2025President of Aamhi Shikshak a Mumbaibased teachersrsquo organisation Sushil Shejule said that the decision has raised significant concerns among parents who are questioning the boardrsquos intent and rationale behind such a move The controversy has led to debates and speculation with many feeling that the boardrsquos image has been tarnished by this episodeMahendra Ganpule Maharashtra School Principalsrsquo Association spokesperson condemned the decision saying ldquoThe validity of any hall ticket is limited to the exam The clarification state board officials are giving about the accuracy of caste mention and availing scholarships is totally illogical Its sole purpose is to ensure that the right candidate is allowed to enter the exam hallhellip Adding a studentrsquos caste category is an unnecessary moverdquoKalpana Karia former principal of a state board school said ldquoWhile the boardrsquos intentions may have been rooted in administrative convenience and support for students the episode underscores the importance of engaging with stakeholders and understanding public sentiment before implementing such measuresrdquoHolding the minister of school education responsible Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushma Andhare said ldquoStd X and XII are crucial milestones in a students academic journey It is during this formative age that the values of an inclusive and equitable society are expected to be instilled in studentsHowever if the education board itself is mentioning caste on hall tickets the onus is on the school education minister to clarify whether the boardrsquos objective is to promote equality or perpetuate castebased systemsrdquo