Go to the Court: End of journey
After arrival I went to a friends house because I couldn't afford a hotel room with the money I had. Next day morning I woke up early in the morning and I was bit nervous about my physical examination then around 5.30am after getting ready I left for district stadium.
Nobody was there that time except 2-3 guys who were also there for the test. After document verification around 8.30 am I entered the stadium.
Everyone was lined up to get their chest card and after getting mine, finally I went for running, I completed it within the time limit. Then there was long jump and shot put, I did complete both fairly well.
At last there was height and chest measurement so I qualified in both and an officer signed and they put a QUALIFIED seal on the paper.
Till now everything was quite well and I was waiting for my biometric registration which was the final procedure. I was excited and happy for clearing ET&PST in my first attempt after a long lockdown which was boring and depressing. 30 minutes passed I was waiting, suddenly some officer called my chest number and he told me that they want to check my height again. I didn't got nervous because I knew my height is more than specified limit so I went with him. They checked the height in machine it was same as it was earlier, they checked 3-4 times it was same then suddenly one Senior official who came to check my height that time also it was same because it was measured in machine. But the he told me to stand straight joining toes and to count the numbers backward from 100 so I did. I counted up to 67
I was doing this all standing on a height measuring machine which was blinking green light all the time. To my surprise and shock that senior officer told the in charge to put the less height which is almost 1cm less so that I get disqualified. Everyone who checked earlier got surprised because machine was not showing any error, they changed the height to what senior told not what machine told to.
I was helpless and started to request that officer to check my height again he didn't give any response and at last finally he uttered 'GO TO THE COURT', I was requesting everyone there check my height again.
someone called me to sign on paper on which they put 'NOT QUALIFIED' seal and in front of me he tore my QUALIFIED paper. I did sign on the new paper and put my thumb impression on it. I didn't resent because I was surrounded by the men in uniform with the colonial character which I observed from first to last.
Finally I left the stadium feeling Dejected.
Next day I went to district hospital and certified my height and it's same above the specified limit.
The question haunts me every time I recall it and when friends ask about it, WHY?
they did this to me.
Is it because my caste attached to my name?
'Go to the court', it's not easy for me to get the JUSTICE because it's the costliest thing which I can't afford.
