Telangana: New mandals put students in a fix

Hyderabad: Students at all the 125 newly-formed mandals are facing problems in obtaining certificates pertaining to caste, residence, income and other such details.

Those who applied before October 11 have not yet obtained any certificate and when they approached previous mandal officials, they were directed to visit the new mandal offices. They are getting the same response from staff at the new tahsildar offices too.

After the formation of new districts, divisions and mandals, the office of the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration delayed sending digital signatures of new tahsildars to MeeSeva. It took nearly 25 days and students who were waiting for their certificates were left visiting the respective tahsildar offices.

After the problems were set right, the students in new mandals are facing a new set of problems — the staff at new tahsildar offices is directing them to submit fresh applications.

Ms G. Hemalatha, a student from Kushaiguda said that she applied for caste, income and residence certificate from Keesara mandal officials on October 5 through MeeSeva.

“I have been waiting for my certificates. Now, my locality is under part of the new Kapra mandal. Keesara officials say they sent my file to Kapra and officials are asking me to submit a fresh application. I had paid fee earlier. If I submit a new application, I will have to pay the fee again. When I ask the same, Kapra officials remain silent,” she said.

Revenue principal secretary K. Pradeep Chandra told this newspaper that it is not necessary to pay fee again. “As per the policy decision, the fee paid by students earlier is enough. The information may not have reached the tahsildars. We will direct them on the matter,” he said.