Unofficial toppers want discrimination to end

Chennai: Sresha C.S. of Velammal matriculation higher secondary school at Mogappair East, Chennai, and Mahalakshmi S of D.A.V. higher secondary school at Gopalapuram, Chennai, shared the first rank with a score of 1,194 marks out of 1,200 in the class 12 board exam results announced Thursday. Radhesh C.R. of Prince matriculation higher secondary school, Madipakkam, stood third with 1,192 marks.

But the official toppers of the state are Pavithra J from Vikas Vidyalaya matriculation higher secondary school in Tirupur, and Nivetha L.B. of Sri Sowdeshwari Vidyalaya matriculation higher secondary school in Coimbatore, with 1,192 marks.

This is because students who opt for French and Sanskrit as their second language in class 12 are not recognised by the government as toppers – only those with Tamil as second language can get the ranking.

But the murmur of protest against this inequity is growing with parents and students not willing to accept the situation lying down. Toppers and their parents say that the government should not discriminate against them for their choice of second language.