Human beings are the shape-shifter of every quirky and critical phenomenon. They are the supreme of all the living beings on this earth. It is said that age is the period of someone’s existence and survival that goes simultaneously since one’s inception until their expiration. Every biotic and abiotic component of this ecosystem has a life that constitutes their age, and scientifically it is out of Human reach to be altered or manipulated.
Age concealment is not a recent human tendency but is prevalent for the past half-century. Hiding the actual Human age or altering it with a denominating age in the expectation of availing of brownies is a bitter truth. Presenting false birth dates through official data manipulation and bribery is a bitter reality.
The human being’s life cycle and social determinants are parallel for almost every normal human being. The doers of discrepancy in the actual age are none other than the parents or guardians of the children. Blind love and over-consciousness of their children’s future and life technicalities push them to fall trapped in such obnoxious acts. Honesty and courteousness in filling the birth certificates is of utmost necessity for the parents to foster similar qualities within their children. Truthfulness, honesty, simplicity and self-belief to ace in the race of life start right when a child is born. However, having said that it cannot be conceded that human values and humility have solely disappeared from society.
Many parents still raise their children without the hack for a second chance by decreasing their actual age in the official document, instead of making them self-sufficient to face failures and develop competencies even though age fades from a required portfolio or situation.
Speaking about the impacts of age-concealment, the brunt of it is faced mostly by the students and the government employees. Students of similar ages reach different standards in their education levels by the dint of age-concealment of their fellow mates, which sometimes blocks the scope for an honest student and still lays the perks of a junior in educational level for few.
For instance, such a defamatory act has hardly been questioned by the sufferers or the disadvantaged. Educational stages and ages are directly proportional where a fellow born between 1998-2001 if determined the age in the context of the current year cannot be permitted to be enrolled in the highest degree of education like Ph.D. but grabbing the seats of the appropriate age-specific students in the universities. However, this issue is not about judging someone’s capability but actuality and honesty in birth registration.
In recent years, cases were brought to light in the districts of Darrang and Nagaon, where rackets involved in issuing fake Birth Certificates were exposed and people involved including the seeker were arrested. Therefore, such acts are legally questionable and parents must have a moral affiliation in registering their children’s birth, if not, children must themselves take a stand for rectification of the biggest fake birth dates attached to their lives.
Anwesha Hazarika is Ph.D. research scholar at Cotton University, Guwahati. She can be reached at: [email protected]