TALE OF A CERTIFICATE

It was way back in 1979 that I became a ‘matriculate’ with a ‘first division’. One required 60% marks for it and I got 60.14%, one mark over the threshold. This I came to realize only yesterday when I had to produce that certificate after almost 46 years.

 

Those days, first division meant you were the cream. No one talked about percentages or marks. All that mattered was I, II or III Div.

 

The first time I realised that how important this certificate was when as a young Captain in the Indian Army with three years service, I got a notice from the Army Headquarters to “show cause” why my services should not be terminated as they did not find my matric certificate attached with the mandatory documents required to be submitted to UPSC.

 

Earth moved under my feet. I was from a Sainik School where all documentation was sent by the school administration. How could they have missed out? Why me, was the question?

 

Panic and fear struck together as I had just about 10 days to pack my bags and go home. Those days letters used to take days, even weeks to travel by ‘snail mail’. There was a difference of 36 days when the letter was signed and the day it reached me, leaving just about nine days to respond.

 

There were no mobiles or STD those days. Affording a trunk call was out of the question. Luckily, my father was a teacher in the same school. There was a chance that things would get sorted out.

 

In the interim, one of my seniors advised me to reply to the letter straight away to give them reasons for delay in responding and ask for more time to submit the clarification. I did it and it saved my skin literally.  A long telegram was sent home giving the gist of the letter. The school resubmitted all required documents on my behalf. I stayed in the Army.

 

Though I never used the formulas of Tan ø or Cos ø or any of the equations like ​​ or  ​​. I was not good at arithmetic either. You now know why I got those marks in my Xth board. But, I realised the power of the matriculation certificate that day.

 

The second time I had to show this certificate was when I applied for my passport in 2008. The passport office clarified that it is not to check my qualification but to ascertain my date of birth. The same was endorsed and continues till date.

 

The third time I wanted to add my fathers name in my Adhar Card. I skipped the process as it was thirty years later that someone had asked for the tenth class certificate. It was lying somewhere boxed up in my black trunk 1200 kms away from where I was applying for the most coveted card of the country.

 

By the way, I hold two matric certificates. One from CBSE and one from the Punjab Education Board. Though I never reproduced that certificate ever as ‘Punjabi’ was my waterloo. I passed Punjabi with difficulty due to a “compartment” which I cleared later.

 

Now that one has retired and forgotten about all certificates which never were used to explain what subjects I studied or the marks obtained to pass various exams.

 

Now came the inclusion of your name in the SIR. Luckily, before all these complications started, one had got the voter ID card made as now I had a permanent address called the ‘electricity bill’. But there was more to the story to have the EPIC number updated.

 

The SIR details were submitted online but the BLO landed up one day with a notice from the Tehsildar to update documents and carry a copy of Adhar card and the Xth class certificate. Not again, I said. Boy, it was not easy to dig out from under piles of papers stowed away.

 

I reached the Tehsil office on the date and time mentioned. The officer there looked at me and then at my tenth certificate at least a hundred times. He must have branded me as a dodo because I had attached my ‘marks sheet’ also.

 

Aap ke pass Rajasthan Board ka certificate nahi hai kya? I told him, Punjab matric ka hai ya CBSE ka, kaun sa Manzoor hai? I wanted to tell him that I am a Post Graduate in Human Rights and Defence and Strategic Studies. I did not want to complicate things.

 

He signed that letter, a quick photo, a shake hand with the Tehsildar and I was out of that office in a jiffy.

 

I am a senior citizen now. When will the government stop asking for my tenth class certificate? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS