Odisha Orphaned Student Blocked from Scholarship by Documents

Eighteen-year-old Karan, an orphaned student of Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur, is unable to receive scholarships, financial aid or disability benefits because his Aadhaar and matriculation records list different parental names. The discrepancy stems from documents prepared during his childhood in institutional care, leaving him without verifiable identity proof. Despite being eligible under the state’s Green Passage scheme, Karan says he has been asked for a residential certificate he cannot obtain, blocking access to government support.

Why are Karan’s documents conflicting?

Karan’s Aadhaar card, issued when he was a child at Rourkela Shishubhavan, records the father’s name as PK Senapati, who was then the secretary of the child-care institution. When his matriculation form was filled out, officials entered Muna Ekka and Kan Ekka as his parents, names that now appear on his matriculation certificate. Karan says he does not know his biological parents and has never had a permanent family or caste identity. The mismatch between the two records leaves him caught between documents that do not reflect any known biological parentage.

What support is he missing due to the paperwork issue?

Although admitted under the Green Passage scheme and living in the university hostel, Karan has not received any scholarship or financial assistance from government programmes. He says he takes private tuition classes to cover daily expenses and often struggles to arrange money for books and study materials. Karan also states that a hearing impairment prevents him from accessing disability benefits because the documentation problem blocks verification. He adds that the issue has affected his chance to play for the state cricket team. Karan asks, “For someone like me, who has grown up in different institutions and does not have a permanent family address, where will I get a residential certificate from?”

What steps have authorities taken?

Karan first approached the Sambalpur administration, but officials said they could not help because the child-care institution where he stayed is located in Sundargarh district. He then went to the Sundargarh administration, where the collector assigned his case to the district child protection officer, Sribanta Jena. Jena said, “A camp was held last month to rectify Aadhaar of such cases. Despite our efforts, the boy could not be contacted.” Karan told officials he was informed the matter would be resolved after he turned 18.

What happens next?

After turning 18 in March, Karan attempted to correct his Aadhaar details himself but was asked to produce a residential certificate, which he says he cannot obtain without a permanent family address. On Tuesday, he met Odisha Human Rights Commission chairman Satrughana Pujahari during an event at Gangadhar Meher University. Pujahari said, “The issue appears to have arisen from a statutory lacuna in the manner in which the orphaned child’s identity and records were handled. It calls for an in-depth inquiry. We will register a case to ensure justice for him, establish his identity and secure the benefits he is rightfully entitled to.”

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