A youth from a tribal community in Kerala was allegedly denied a job in the state forest department as his teeth were protruding.
Muthu, hailing from Attapadi tribal taluk in Palakkad district in Kerala, alleged that he was denied a beat forest officer job owing to the protruding teeth.
Muthu told the media that he had cleared a written and physical tests for the beat forest officer post. But later he came to know that in his medical examination report it was noted that his teeth were protruding. Hence he was not recruited, he alleged.
He said that the deformity to his teeth were caused in an accident during childhood and his family could not bear the expense of around Rs. 18,000 required to correct it.
Muthu hails from Anavayur hamlet, which is around 15 kilometres into the forest.
The Kerala Public Service Commission, which is conducting the recruitment under special rules for recruiting tribal youths, is yet to react to the allegations.
However, Kerala forest minister A K Saseendran commented that it was unfortunate that the youth's job prospects were affected owing to the selection criterion. He also said that he would look into it.
Meanwhile, a dental doctor hailing from Kollam district, Dr. Wilson John, told a news channel that he would meet the expense of correcting the teeth deformity of Muthu.