Sardarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Despite the government's substantial investment in education, a significant gap remains at the grassroots level, leaving 2,000 children without access to primary education due to the absence of Samagra IDs. In Sardarpur tehsil, a large number of children aged 5 to 7 years are denied their right to education because their parents are unable to obtain the required Samagra IDs.
Samagra ID is essential for mapping students on the education portal and officially recording them in school records. This bureaucratic hurdle particularly affects the children of poor, illiterate labourers in rural areas, who often lack the time or resources to navigate the complex documentation process.
Parents must present multiple documents, such as their own Aadhaar cards, the child’s birth certificate, and a certificate from the gram panchayat, to secure a Samagra ID. However, many parents prioritise daily labour over the time-consuming task of gathering these documents. Even when all documents are gathered, issues like insufficient mobile balance for OTP verification further complicate the process.
Education department sources reveal that while efforts are being made to assist these children, lack of cooperation from parents, incomplete documentation, and insufficient support from gram panchayats hinder progress. The current situation has left the dreams of these innocent children hanging in the balance, with their futures appearing increasingly bleak.
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Parents frustrated
Parents like Pachilal, Munnalal, Bhura Bai, and Shantilal share their frustrations, "We have been making rounds of the gram panchayat for a month to get Samagra IDs for our children. The secretary is often unavailable or tells us to come back later. The schools refuse to register our children without an ID. Our children's futures are at stake."
A call for change
This issue extends beyond Sardarpur, reflecting a statewide problem affecting rural Madhya Pradesh. Without Samagra IDs, countless children are deprived of scholarships, uniforms, and free books, further marginalising their educational opportunities. The pressing question remains: Will the government take immediate and effective steps to simplify the Samagra ID process or eliminate its requirement for school admissions?
