I wish to draw the attention of the government to a serious issue faced by genuine applicants seeking OBC caste certificates. The recent decision of the Goa Government to remove the mandatory Samaj certificate for OBC applications is a welcome and progressive step. With digitisation through the GoaOnline portal, the process has certainly become more transparent and accessible. However, a major difficulty still persists. Applicants are required to submit birth records of parents or ancestors prior to 19/02/1968 to establish eligibility. In many genuine cases, such records are unavailable, torn, or missing from government custody due to the passage of time. Citizens should not be penalised for the non-availability or damage of old government records. The Bhandari community is lawfully recognised as an OBC in Goa, and deserving applicants should not be denied certificates on technical grounds alone. Alternative documents such as school records, electoral rolls, church or temple records, land records, or local inquiry reports should be formally accepted. I urge the Government to issue clear guidelines providing remedies in such cases to ensure justice, uniformity, and inclusiveness.
