Facing criticism Govt now drops Orange coloured passports for less Educated Citizens

January 30, 2018

Also the last page with your address and other personal details will be retained and can be used as address proof.

Your passports will retain the last the page with your address & other details. Yes, they can be used as address proof and, they won’t sport orange jackets.

Owing to protest & concerns from various quarters, the govt. has reversed its decision to revamp passports, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release on Tuesday.

The ministry said in the release that, “After comprehensive discussions with the various stakeholders, the MEA has decided to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport & not to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR (emigration check required ) passport holders,” .

A decision was taken by the Ministry on the recommendations of a 3-member committee comprising officials of the MEA & the Ministry of Women & Child Development, not to print the last page of the passport booklet.

MEA had decided to issue a passport with an orange jacket to holders with emigration check required (ECR) status, with a view to help & assist them on a priority basis.

ECR status is issued to citizens who haven't passed 10th standard & such passport holders have to take clearance from the immigration office while travelling abroad for work.

The Ministry had received several individual & collective representations requesting it to reconsider these 2 decisions.

Without the last page, the practice of using the passport as an address proof would've stopped. Critics said that the decision to have an orange jacket, would discriminate against citizens on the basis of educational qualifications.