Kerala Govt Ends ‘Teething Trouble’ In Jobs, Uniformed Service Aspirants To Benefit

A long-cherished dream may soon become a reality for Muthu, a 26-year-old tribal youth from Anavayi settlement in Attappadi, after a recent announcement by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan removed a hurdle from government job eligibility. During a cabinet briefing on April 30, the Chief Minister declared that "protruding teeth" would no longer disqualify candidates applying to uniformed services in the police, forest, transport, and excise departments.

This decision directly impacts cases like Muthu’s, who in 2022 was denied a position as Beat Forest Officer (BFO) due to this very condition, reported Manorama.

Kerala CM’s Decision Rekindles Youths Dream

Muthu had cleared both the written exam and the physical efficiency test under a special Scheduled Tribe recruitment drive conducted by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC). But his aspirations came to a halt when a medical certificate flagged his dental condition, and he was never called for an interview.

His disqualification stemmed from a childhood injury that caused the dental issue—a condition that could be corrected but remained untreated due to financial hardship, reported Mathrubhumi. Despite this, Muthu pursued higher education, earning a BA in Political Science from Sree Kerala Varma College, well above the minimum SSLC qualification required for the BFO role.

After learning of the incident, the Kerala State SC/ST Commission intervened, taking suo moto cognizance and seeking clarification from both the forest department and the PSC. 

The Chief Minister’s announcement signals a policy change grounded in fairness and inclusion, ensuring physical characteristics that do not affect performance won’t obstruct access to public service roles.

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