Fake tribals corner reserved jobs

HYDERABAD: The alarming increase in the number of fake Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates in the state in recent months indicates that a large number of reserved jobs and other benefits are being cornered by people who are not entitled to them.
These impostors are taking advantage of the fact that several caste groups have names and occupations similar to those of Scheduled Tribes.For instance, a person belonging to the Kapu community might claim that he is a Konda Kapu, a Scheduled Tribe. Similarly, a Vaddera can claim to be a Vaddi (ST), and a Manne to be a Manne Vaarlu, and so on. Some individuals belonging to the Medara, a backward class (BC) community, claim ST status on the pretext that their occupation is basket making, which is an occupation of the Erukula tribe, officials say.
Tribal Cultural Research & Training Institute (TCR & TI) director V N V K Sastry said a total of 2,021 cases of fake ST certificates have been detected in the recent past. This includes 530 bogus ST certificate holders who had applied for state and central government services.
The tribal welfare department has sent these findings to the authorities of educational institutions as well as employers. As per the AP (SCs, STs and BCs) Issuance of Community, Nativity and Date of Birth Certificates Rules, 1997, a candidate''s admission and employment can be cancelled if it is found that he had submitted a false certificate, he said. The department has undertaken a training programme for 1,100 mandal revenue officers, who are the issuing authorities for ST certificates.