Daijiworld Media Network - Vijayawada
Vijayawada, Nov 11: The Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (AP SCPCR) has called for comprehensive administrative reforms to make the father's name optional in government application forms and official records wherever it is not legally mandatory, stressing that no child should be deprived of education, identity documents, scholarships, welfare benefits or essential services due to the absence of paternal details.
The proposal was discussed at a one-day state-level consultation titled 'Making Father's Name Not Mandatory in Official Documents', jointly organised by the AP SCPCR and Children of India Foundation, with the support of HELP organisation, in Vijayawada on Tuesday.
AP SCPCR Chairperson Vetukuri A.V.S.S.N. Raju, who addressed the consultation, emphasised that every child is an independent rights-holder entitled to dignity, identity, equality and fundamental rights. He said a child's future should not be determined by the marital status, family circumstances or social position of their parents.
Referring to the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Raju stressed that government documentation systems should facilitate children's access to their rights and entitlements rather than create unnecessary obstacles to their development and well-being.
The Commission pointed out that mandatory requirements to provide a father's name frequently create difficulties for children of single mothers, unmarried women, widows, divorced women, survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, as well as children living under the care of legal guardians or other caregivers.
In several cases, the absence of paternal details becomes an obstacle to obtaining birth certificates, securing school admissions, accessing scholarships, receiving identity documents and availing themselves of government welfare schemes. Mothers are also sometimes compelled to repeatedly disclose sensitive family circumstances and make multiple visits to government offices to establish their eligibility for essential services.
The Commission maintained that such administrative requirements should not result in discrimination or expose children and their families to unnecessary social stigma and violations of privacy.
Raju urged government departments to review their existing application forms, registration procedures, online portals and verification systems to identify provisions where the father's name is unnecessarily treated as mandatory.
The consultation recommended accepting the mother's name or the details of a legally recognised guardian as valid alternatives wherever the father's particulars are not legally required. It also called for uniform child-friendly documentation guidelines across government departments to ensure that no child is denied services or opportunities because of family circumstances.
The Commission further urged the state government to issue a comprehensive Government Order (GO) or administrative circular to ensure consistent implementation of the proposed reforms at the state, district and mandal levels.
The departments of School Education, Women Development and Child Welfare, Medical and Health, Revenue, Social Welfare, Tribal Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare, Minority Welfare, Civil Supplies and Digital Governance were identified as key stakeholders in implementing the proposed changes.
Participants also stressed the need for departments to nominate nodal officers, prepare time-bound action plans and issue clear instructions to officials at the grassroots level. Establishing effective grievance-redressal mechanisms was another important recommendation to address instances where children are denied services or face delays due to unnecessary documentation requirements.
Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Women Chairperson Dr Rayapati Sailaja called for coordinated action among the concerned government departments and the Child Rights Commission to take the initiative forward. She urged the state government to issue a comprehensive Government Order to ensure that no child is deprived of education, employment opportunities or other entitlements because of documentation-related barriers.
She also emphasised the need to provide equal opportunities to all women and children, irrespective of their family circumstances.
Representatives from the Education, Women Development and Child Welfare, Medical and Health and other departments participated in the consultation and discussed the administrative and legal implications of the proposed reforms. Some departmental representatives pointed out that their existing application procedures did not insist on the father's name, while acknowledging that the requirement continued to create difficulties in certain cases.
The Commission clarified that the proposal was not intended to exclude fathers or undermine lawful parentage and parental responsibilities. Instead, it seeks to ensure that the absence of a father's name does not become a barrier to a child's identity, dignity, education and fundamental rights.
The recommendations emerging from the consultation are expected to be submitted to the state government for consideration and further action.