Indian courts!

How much I wish I had written my full name in my 10th class CBSE form. But that wasnt so!
I wrote Amandeep Singh and missed out the Khurana. Didnt think it would cause such an issue at a later stage... and so it did. The name continued in class 12 and so my CBSE certificates said "Amandeep Singh" and not "Amandeep Singh Khurana".
To worsen the matters, my passport had my full name and lead to my license too having the full version.

When it came to applying for admission into Engineering after 12th (was trying for Canada), it became a matter of concern as there was a discrepency. But it didnt trouble then because I took admission into Thapar. And that is when the escapade of getting my name legally changed from Amandeep Singh to Amandeep Singh Khurana began.. And a long one. As I write this down, it has still not ended, though I am hoping it would before I pass out in May.

The first step, naturally was to request Thapar athourities to write the full name in the grade cards and subsequently in all certificated to follow. The response was pretty straight forward, "We'll follow what the CBSE certificates say". Alright, nevermind, lets go to CBSE. And so I did, to request them to change my name in their records and issue me fresh certificates.

CBSE, like any other government organization had its own procedures (pretty long) to be followed. I was asked to get an order from the court saying that the name should be changed in their records and only then will the certificated be reissued. The procedure wasnt supposed to be too long.

Ok! So, next, I approached a lawyer, who was also handling my father's legal matters. Asked him on what to do and how to go about it. The answer was, "It isnt a big deal. You'll need to get it in the newspaper once and file a request in the court". And so I did! This was back in August 2003! And its Jan 2006 now. The story from then to now is what follows.

A small ad was given in the paper and subsequently a case was filed in the Karkardooma courts in New Delhi, involving CBSE and Delhi Government. None of the two organizations should have ideally had any objections in me adding my family name to mine, but apparantly, they did! And they did raise objections and cause troubles.

The case was filed and a date was give. I appeared in the court on the given date and time with my father. An objection was raised!! Dad had filed the case on my behalf with an affidavit from me allowing him to do so, since I was in Patiala and couldnt have come here during the weekdays to do it myself. Moreover, he decided not to drag me into the legal formailities and rather do it himself alongwith his other matters. The objection was right in that. "Why did I not file the case myself?" Case rejected! File it again, and this time in person. Not through anybody else...

Ok your honour! Shall do that! Thank you! So, the case was filed again, and this time by me. Again, I had to appear in the court for the hearing and cross examination and so on......
And I did on the given date and time, once again! This time, my statement was recorded and the next date was given for some further formalities.

Right then! The next date came, and I was present. The CBSE lawyer raised an objection. God knows for what. Just for the heck of it! And another date was given to answer to his objections.

The next date, we tipped the CBSE lawyer to not trouble us and let the case get solved smoothly. So, he presented no objections this time. Phew!!! So some movement atleast! But yet another date given..

Next time, I reached the court and found that my original certificates were needed to be shown, which apparantly I had left in Patiala. Again, another date..

The next date came by, this was Dec'05. I was present there with my original certificates and all papers that the judge could possibly ask for. Just to find out that the judge was on a leave that day! I drove 45 minutes just to find that out!!! Bastard! I was literally fuming that day! Ready to kick the judge on his butt with all the force I possibly could. But that ofcourse wasnt to be, and I was given yet another date in Jan'06. So, I appeared in the court, once again, hoping that the matter would be closed this time. The judge went through the papers and asked a few things to the lawyers involved, who ofcourse were in a hurry to get this petty case out of their list. I was cross examined and so was my Dad... At the end, the judge said "Date for final arguments is blah blah blah!" Now that was enough! Final arguments for what? No one had anything to argue about!! But the arguments had to be done before the order could be passed.

Now, here I am, waiting for the final arguments to be done on the appointed date, and the order passed, so that the next procedure can be initiated for the certificates to be reissued by CBSE and then by my college... Not sure when the wait will end... All I can do is hope to get all of it done before I pass out of college in May.

I need not comment on the system at all. All of this doesnt really need anything to be said about. Spending so much time, money and effort and wasting national resource on such a petty thing.. It happens only in India!