On 17th November, the judgment was released by a Single-Judge bench of Justice N Nagareshin a petition filed by a 9th grade student’s father taking exception to the new format for application introduced by the CBSE requiring students to preferably expand abbreviations of surnames.
While directing the CBSE to consider a representation against a new format for Board Examination applications introduced by CBSE; the Kerala HC has noted that many keralapeople do not posses definite surnames or last names.
The Judgment read as; “Members of some of the communities in Kerala, traditionally have no surnames. A good section of citizens having surnames, do not state or display surnames because surnames mostly are indicative of caste status.”
Additionally, many use initials, names of parents, relatives or unrelated last names after their primary names, the court said.
“As the abbreviations along with names are not definite indicatives of surname/father’s name/mother’s name/family name, the abbreviations without its expansions are used as integral part of their names,” the court observed.
The Court explained how many in Kerala overcame the surname expansion requirement in official documents, stating that they provided their ‘last names’ and initials instead of ‘surnames’ and expanded these (if abbreviated). This, however, could result in complications in official transactions, the Court underscored.
Since the grievance raised by the petitioner is one faced by many parents/students in the State, it would be only just and proper that the CBSE considers representation of the petitioner for the benefit of all who are facing the same problem, the court ruled.
Moreover the court has held that, “In the circumstances, it will be sufficient to direct that CBSE shall consider the grievance raised in the representation while formatting their registration forms next time,”
