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Free help, whatever you are stuck on

Studies, a scholarship or scheme, a certificate, choosing a course, finding a job, a problem at home, or feeling worried or unsafe: tell us, and our volunteers will guide you step by step, or fill in forms with you if you need it. Free of charge, in English, தமிழ் or हिन्दी.

Ask for help

If you need help now

If anyone is in danger, call 112 now. All these numbers are free, and you do not have to give your name.

More free helplines

Numbers checked on 30 September 2026 on official government websites. SEEDbridge does not run these helplines.

How we help

  1. Read the guide. Start with our step-by-step guides, the official portals and the checklist on this page.
  2. Get your documents ready. Most delays happen because a certificate is missing or out of date. See our short guides to ID cards and certificates.
  3. Ask us if you are stuck. Tell us what you need help with, and the language you prefer. A volunteer replies by email or WhatsApp.
  4. We guide you, or fill it in with you. If you have no phone or internet, find the form hard to read, or have a disability, a volunteer will fill in the form with you. You type your own passwords and OTPs.
  5. Apply on the official website. Save the acknowledgement and your application number.

Stay safe. SEEDbridge will never ask for your Aadhaar number, bank details, passwords, OTPs or money, and never asks you to pay for help or sponsorship. Only use official websites that end in .gov.in or .nic.in, or the website named in the scheme's official notice.

Documents many applications ask for

Tick what you already have. Your ticks are saved only on this device, in this browser. Nothing is sent to SEEDbridge.

What we can help with

All help is free. Some services start when our first Learning Hub opens in Tenkasi District.

  • Available now

    Filling in applications

    Scholarships, government schemes, admissions, exams and jobs. We guide you step by step, or fill in the form with you if you need it.

  • Available now

    Finding what you qualify for

    We help you search official portals such as NSP and myScheme, and Tamil Nadu schemes, for support that fits you.

  • Available now

    Certificates and documents

    Which certificate you need and where to apply: community, income, nativity and first graduate certificates, Aadhaar updates, bank accounts for scholarships, DigiLocker and UDID.

  • Available now

    Course, college and career choices

    Options after Class 10, Class 12 and college, admission and counselling dates, and how to compare courses.

  • Available now

    Exam preparation pointers

    Free official study material and free coaching schemes you may be eligible for.

  • Available now

    Skills, apprenticeships and jobs

    Finding skill training and paid apprenticeships, writing a CV, preparing for interviews and avoiding job scams.

  • Available now

    Students with disabilities

    Help with the UDID card, disability scholarships and the documents they ask for.

  • Available now

    Family support and referrals

    Pointing families to the right official office for health, legal aid, livelihood and welfare schemes, and help with the forms.

  • Available now

    Pensions, ration cards and welfare applications

    Help with applications for pensions, ration cards, health insurance cards and other welfare schemes families may qualify for.

  • Available now

    Staying in school when the family needs income

    We talk with parents, find scholarships that support the student, and help the parents train for or find better-paid work, so that children are not sent to work after Class 8 or 10.

  • With our Learning Hub

    Safe part-time and holiday work

    For students aged 14 or older: work that is not hazardous, after school, at weekends or in the holidays, never at night and never at the cost of school, with a parent's consent and an employer we have checked. We never arrange work for children under 14.

  • With our Learning Hub

    Village health camps

    A registered doctor and nurse from a hospital or clinic visiting once or twice a month, with help to enrol in government health schemes and reach the nearest government hospital.

  • As funds allow

    Livelihood support for families

    Training, tools or a small starter kit for mothers and young people to earn a living, and links to self-help groups and banks.

  • Available now

    Someone to talk to

    Feeling stressed, low or worried? A volunteer will help you reach a qualified counsellor or Tele-MANAS (14416), free and confidential. Our volunteers listen, but they are not counsellors.

  • Available now

    Bullying, ragging or discrimination

    If you are bullied, ragged or treated badly because of your caste, religion, gender or disability, we help you understand your options and reach the right official office or helpline.

  • Available now

    Drugs, tobacco, alcohol or gaming

    For students and families worried about a habit: where to find free, confidential counselling and treatment, such as the helpline 14446 and government de-addiction services.

  • Available now

    Reading, news and curiosity

    Suggestions for good books to read, free digital libraries, how to follow the news and tell real news from rumours, and ways to explore the questions you are curious about.

  • Available now

    Help in your language

    Volunteers help in English, Tamil and Hindi. Write to us in any of them.

  • As funds allow

    Sponsorship for students in need

    For students from families in need: help with costs such as application or exam fees, travel, certificates, books or school needs, from our funds or from a donor who pays the school or shop directly.

  • With our Learning Hub

    Mentoring

    Regular one-to-one conversations with a trained volunteer mentor about studies and careers.

  • With our Learning Hub

    Digital skills and online safety

    Using email and government portals safely, spotting fraud and reporting it.

  • With our Learning Hub

    In-person Help Desk days

    Volunteers at our Learning Hub and in villages, to fill in forms with students and families face to face.

  • With our Learning Hub

    Talks for parents and teachers

    Short sessions in schools and villages on scholarships, deadlines and choices after school.

Step-by-step guides

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

Birth certificate in Tamil Nadu: register and download

Register a birth in Tamil Nadu free within 21 days, add the child's name, and download the certificate free from crstn.org for births registered from 2018.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

How to book a train ticket online

Book train tickets on the IRCTC website or app, why Tatkal bookings need Aadhaar authentication, how to buy unreserved tickets, and the Rail Madad 139 helpline.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

e-Shram card for unorganised workers: how to register

Daily-wage, farm, home-based and self-employed workers aged 16 to 59 can register free on e-Shram with Aadhaar and get a 12-digit UAN. Who can apply and how.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

How to get a driving licence

Get a learner's licence online on the Parivahan Sarathi website, pass the driving test after a month, and get your licence. Ages, documents and official fees.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

How to get a PAN card

Get a free instant e-PAN with your Aadhaar on the Income Tax website, or a printed PAN card for Rs 107 through Protean or UTIITSL, including PAN for minors.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

How to get your Voter ID card

Turning 18? Apply for your Voter ID free on the Election Commission's voter portal or the Voter Helpline app using Form 6, and correct or shift it with Form 8.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

How to open a free bank account for a student or family

Open a zero-balance Jan Dhan or basic savings account, the documents banks accept, accounts for children, and why scholarships need an Aadhaar-seeded account.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

Register at the employment office in Tamil Nadu

Register online with the Tamil Nadu employment exchange, renew it every 3 years, see who gets unemployment assistance, and use the free National Career Service.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

UDID card: disability certificate and ID, how to apply

How a person with a disability, or a parent for a child, applies for the UDID card and disability certificate online or at a district camp, and why it matters.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

How to update your address in Aadhaar

Update the address in your Aadhaar online on myAadhaar for Rs 75, or at an Aadhaar centre in a post office or bank, with the proof documents UIDAI accepts.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Step by step

DigiLocker: keep your certificates safe on your phone

Sign up for DigiLocker free with Aadhaar, fetch documents issued by the government, your board or university, and why issued documents count as originals.

1 min read · Checked 2 October 2026

ID Cards and Documents Checklist

How to fill online application forms without mistakes

A checklist for filling scholarship and government forms online without mistakes: matching names, Aadhaar and bank seeding, uploads, deadlines and saving proof.

3 min read · Checked 29 September 2026

Scholarships Step by step

National Scholarship Portal: how to register and apply

Step-by-step guide to the National Scholarship Portal for 2026-27: getting your One Time Registration number, face authentication, applying and payment.

5 min read · Checked 29 September 2026

Ask for help

Tell us where you are stuck

It takes two minutes. Fields marked * are required.

Help Desk days

In-person Help Desk days will be listed here once our first Learning Hub opens in Tenkasi District.

Sponsorship for students in need

As funds allow, we help students from families in need with the costs of applying or studying, or link them with a donor who pays the school, college or shop directly. Choose "Financial support to apply or study" and tell us briefly about your situation. You never pay anything to receive support.

Your privacy

We use your details only to reply to you. If you are under 18, please ask a parent or guardian first. Read our privacy notice.

Never send us your Aadhaar, bank account, OTR or other ID numbers, or passwords. We will never ask for them. Only tell us which form you are filling and where you are stuck.

If you or someone else is in danger now, do not wait for our reply: call 112, or 1098 for a child.

Free of charge. A volunteer usually replies within a few working days.

Frequently asked questions

Does SEEDbridge charge for help?

No. Help from SEEDbridge volunteers is always free. If anyone asks you for money in our name, do not pay, and tell us at contact@seedbridge.org.

Will a volunteer fill in the form for me?

Yes, if you need it. Most people only need step-by-step guidance. If you have no phone or internet, find the form hard to read, or have a disability, a volunteer will fill in the form with you on a call, or in person once our Help Desk days begin. You check every answer, and you type your own passwords and OTPs. We do not keep copies of your documents or ID numbers.

Can SEEDbridge help pay for my studies or application?

For students from families in need, SEEDbridge can help with sponsorship as funds allow, for example application or exam fees, travel, certificates, books or school needs. Choose "Financial support to apply or study" in the form. Each request is decided on need, and you never have to pay anything to receive support.

Can I talk to someone about stress, bullying, drugs or discrimination?

Yes. Tell us in the form, sharing only what you are comfortable with. A volunteer will help you reach a qualified counsellor or the right official service. Our volunteers are not counsellors, so if you need to talk to someone today, call Tele-MANAS on 14416, free and confidential. If anyone is in danger, call 112, or 1098 for a child.

Which languages can I use?

English, Tamil or Hindi. Choose the language for our reply in the form, and write your message in any of these languages.

Can a parent or teacher ask on behalf of a student?

Yes. Choose "I am a parent, guardian or teacher" in the form. Please share only the student's first name, class and the problem, not ID numbers.

What if my deadline is very close?

Say so in your message. Also contact the official helpline listed on the scheme's own website, because only the official portal can extend or fix an application.