Cost of being parentless: Odisha rights panel orders probe into wrong parents’ names in certificates
A parentless student finds difficulties in his academic journey and life as different imaginary parents’ names were recorded by child care institutes (orphanages). The mismatch deprives him of government assistance
Praveen, a young man from Odisha, has discovered the stark reality of being parentless and having incorrect parent names recorded on his official documents. Raised in childcare institutions, Praveen battled against all odds to attend Gangadhar Meher University, Sambalpur, but faced hurdles due to misrecorded parent names on his certificates and Aadhaar card.
Taking note of his plight, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) directed the Sundargarh district administration to investigate the cause of these discrepancies and explore ways to rectify his records. Praveen, who was five when left at an orphanage, has carried the uncertainty of his parentage throughout his life, experiencing discrimination and hardship due to the erroneous names on his documents.
This has prevented him from receiving government assistance meant for orphans and individuals with disabilities, including a hearing impairment. Despite multiple attempts to rectify the issue, the discrepancies remained unaddressed, jeopardizing Praveen's education and future prospects. The OHRC has launched a 13-point inquiry into the matter, with a five-day deadline for the district collector to complete the investigation.
Human rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo emphasized the severity of the issue, urging the Women and Child Welfare Department to identify similar cases and rectify them urgently, as digital records could negatively impact individuals' futures.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
