Choked… 

• First In, First Out rule creates certificate bottleneck 

• Pending applications cross 2,100 in Mysuru 

Mysuru: The State Government’s First In, First Out (FIFO) rule for issuing caste, income and other certificates has become a major source of frustration for citizens.  

Introduced by the Revenue Department, the system mandates that applications be processed strictly in the order they are received, with a compulsory 21-day processing period. 

While intended to ensure fairness and transparency, the rule has created significant delays, leaving applicants unable to access essential services related to education, healthcare and employment. 

Students hassled 

With the new academic year underway, hundreds of students seeking admission to schools and colleges are facing difficulties. Fee concessions, hostel admissions and scholarships require caste and income certificates, but many students are unable to obtain them within the stipulated deadlines due to delays in processing. 

Under the FIFO system, certificates and endorsements are issued strictly in sequence, without provision for prioritising urgent cases. As a result, applicants requiring documents for immediate medical treatment, job applications or admissions are forced to wait. Although the prescribed processing period is 21 working days, holidays often extend the waiting period to nearly a month. 

Affecting social security schemes 

The delay affects a wide range of services and benefits, including Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates, Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates, family tree records, survivor certificates, landholding documents, social security benefits, widow pensions, old-age pensions, ‘Sandhya Suraksha’ benefits and disability certificates. 

The impact is being felt across sectors. Job aspirants applying for Police Department vacancies must submit multiple certificates, but delays have stalled their applications.  

Students are unable to avail themselves of fee concessions and hostel facilities without timely caste and income certificates. Patients seeking hospital fee waivers or Government assistance are also finding it difficult to access benefits on time. 

Server issues 

Applicants seeking STC tenancy-related certificates are facing additional confusion due to the absence of clear guidelines in cases where the applicant’s residence and landholding fall under different jurisdictions. The application process itself has added to public inconvenience. Applicants are required to scan documents and complete OTP verification within 15 minutes.  

While scanning documents can take up to 10 minutes, OTPs often arrive late or fail to arrive altogether. If the process exceeds the stipulated time, the system automatically logs out, forcing applicants to restart the procedure. Frequent server outages have further compounded the problem. 

Growing backlog 

According to officials, Mysuru Taluk Office receives between 400-500 applications every day. More than 2,100 applications are currently pending. Each application requires the Tahsildar’s digital signature. Although officials clear between 100 and 120 applications daily, the backlog continues to grow. 

Social activist Ahinda Javarappa has criticised the FIFO rule as unscientific. Recalling earlier representations made to former Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda seeking its withdrawal, he said the system was adversely affecting citizens in urgent need of certificates. 

“If a heart patient has to wait 21 days for a certificate to access treatment, what happens to that person’s life? Students and job-seekers are losing opportunities because of these delays. The Government must abolish the FIFO system and ensure certificates are issued promptly,” he demanded.