Bengaluru: Ashwini’s experience in applying for jobs has been harrowing. A devadasi’s daughter, she could not complete a job application online as it had mandated the father’s name. While filling another form, she put her brother’s name in the mandatory field. But she is now worried that this will fail at the verification level.Ashwini (name changed) was on stage Wednesday at a state-level policy consultation on making father’s name optional in all official documents. Holding her toddler in her hand, Ashwini told govt officials: “It is not about one generation, it’s about multiple ones.”Even while multiple court orders have stated father’s name is not mandatory in official documents, it still does not feature on the ground, said experts at a policy consultation on the issue.The consultation was jointly organised by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and Children of India Foundation on Oct 6 and 7.“Father’s details continue to be mandated in several areas. This is used when students file application forms for schools and colleges, to take a bank loan, for scholarships, welfare programmes, and govt job portals. There are online applications that have made father’s column mandatory,” said Thippeswamy KT, former member of Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.“It is not just about availing these rights. It is also about the right to privacy and the humiliation they undergo,” said Vasudev Sharma, child rights activist.Various govt departments agreed on the lacunae. “In the Student Achievement Tracking System, the column for father is always filled. If the father’s name is not available, it is usually the guardian’s name, with the relationship mentioned. We will take this message to the department to create legal awareness among teachers and also how to respond sensitively,” said Sabiha, school education department official.Children rescued after being abandoned as newborns, children of sex workers, children born out of relationships outside marriage, who come under govt care and protection systems, children whose father’s details are unknown or unavailable and other children for whom the mother is the sole caregiver also face similar documentation-related difficulties at various stages.“Karnataka reported 740 teenage pregnancies from April till Sept this year. 117 of them are unmarried. These are newer challenges of our society as time changes. I agree that the society needs a structure. But that structure should not become a barrier to our everyday rights,” said Dr Indumati Kamshetty, deputy director, department of health and family welfare.In 2023, govt had asked various departments to take action on the same. For instance, the department of higher education was requested to take steps to accept the mother’s name instead of the father’s/parent’s name in educational forms; and the department of personnel and administrative reforms was requested to permit the mother’s name in applications for govt jobs. “But there is total lack of awareness regarding the issue and requires to be expanded for a wider scope,” said Vasudev Sharma.DemandsReview all forms and online portals for school admissions, student records, exams, transfer certificates, scholarships, and hostels to remove mandatory father’s name requirements.Issue circulars for implementation to school heads, block education officers, and deputy directors of public instruction.Add standardised options such as “Father’s name unavailable/unknown” or “Not disclosed”, along with mother/guardian fields in all websites.Review portals for scholarships, hostels, educational facilities, and social security schemes to enable alternative entries.Prepare comprehensive SOPs across departments.Conduct a state-level review of existing rules, schemes, and implementation gaps regarding missing father details.
