Thousands of students in Koppal are unable to apply for Karnataka's free bus pass scheme due to server glitches and OTP failures. The issue has persisted for three days, forcing many students to bear daily travel expenses.
Thousands of students in Koppal are facing severe difficulties as a persistent server issue has brought the online application process for free bus passes to a standstill for the past three days, leaving applicants frustrated and helpless.
Students attempting to apply online are encountering multiple technical glitches. The portal is failing to display the correct boarding and dropping points, while the system is also not sending One-Time Passwords (OTPs) to registered mobile numbers. As a result, applicants are unable to complete and submit their applications.
For the 2026-27 academic year, thousands of students have been visiting Grama One and Karnataka One service centres to apply for the facility. However, due to these ongoing technical issues, many have been unable to submit their forms, causing daily inconvenience to both students and parents.
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With schools and colleges already in session, students travelling from remote villages are the worst affected. Many from economically weaker and middle-class families are now forced to pay bus fares every day, placing an additional financial burden on their households. Adding to their difficulties, incorrect details relating to students' residential addresses and educational institutions on the portal have further complicated the application process, particularly because of the 60-km eligibility limit for the pass.
Students Urge Immediate Resolution
“I have been visiting Karnataka One and Grama One centres for the past three days to apply for the bus pass, but the OTP is not arriving. I am forced to spend money on travel to college every day. The server issue must be resolved urgently,” said Samarth, a student.
Server And OTP Issues Persist
Veerash Karadi, a staff member at a Karnataka One centre, confirmed the technical difficulties.
“There is a major OTP issue while applying for new bus passes, and the server is not functioning properly,” he said.
“We are also facing problems with incorrect boarding and dropping point details for students' home and college locations. The authorities must provide an immediate solution,” he added.
