Delhi High Court Dismisses Army Cadet's Request for Birth Date Amendment in CBSE Records
The Delhi High Court has rejected a petition by an Indian Army cadet aiming to amend his date of birth in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) records. The decision was influenced by an eight-year delay in the request and the presence of two conflicting birth certificates with differing dates and birthplaces.
A Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia upheld a prior decision that denied the cadet's request to modify his birth date in CBSE records from September 14, 2000, to September 14, 1999.
The petitioner, an Indian Army cadet who completed his education at the National Defence Academy and later joined the Indian Military Academy in the 2021–22 period, sought a new Class 10 certificate reflecting the changed birth date.
Two Conflicting Birth Certificates
The Court noted that the cadet presented two birth certificates issued under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
According to court documents, the first certificate, issued in December 2002, recorded his birth date as September 14, 2000, and his birthplace as Police Quarters, Naraina. A second certificate, issued in November 2023, showed his birth date as September 14, 1999, and listed Jaipur Golden Hospital as his birthplace.
The Bench remarked that the existence of these conflicting certificates posed significant issues, suggesting the discrepancy needed resolution before any educational record amendments could be pursued.
Court Highlights Delay in Seeking Correction
The cadet's CBSE Class 10 certificate was issued in 2016, indicating September 14, 2000, as his birth date. He approached the authorities and sought court intervention years later, exceeding the one-year timeframe outlined by CBSE regulations for such corrections.
The Court concurred with a previous single-judge ruling, emphasizing that the petitioner could not employ judicial means to circumvent an expired limitation period.
Alternative Remedy Suggested
In dismissing the appeal, the High Court recommended that the cadet initially approach the appropriate authority under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act to address the inconsistency in his birth records.
The Bench also suggested that he could seek a civil court declaration concerning his accurate date of birth, followed by pursuing suitable remedies to amend official records.
The ruling highlights the necessity of consistency in official documentation and reinforces that corrections to educational records require clear and uncontested documentary evidence.
