Caste / Community Certificate

Constitutional & Welfare
Issued by: Tehsildar
Easy to Doc Guidance & Official Issuance Notice

Easy to Doc is an independent informational and document preparation guide. This certificate is officially issued exclusively by the competent government authority (such as the Revenue Department, Tehsildar, or Municipal Corporation). Easy to Doc helps you verify eligibility, assemble required documents, and prepare supporting declarations before you apply on the official government portal.

1. What is this Certificate?

A Caste or Community Certificate is an official statutory record issued by state revenue authorities certifying that an individual belongs to a recognized Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), or Other Backward Class (OBC) as notified under the Constitution of India and state presidential orders. It is necessary for availing constitutional reservation benefits in education, government recruitments, and welfare programs.

2. Who is Eligible?

  • Citizen belonging to recognized SC, ST, or OBC lists for the issuing state or Central Government list
  • Applicant whose father or paternal ancestors hold verified community documentation in the state
  • Resident of the district where ancestral records are registered

3. Government Authority & Where to Apply

Competent Issuing AuthorityTehsildar / Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) / District Magistrate
Department / Administrative AgencyDepartment of Social Welfare & Revenue, State Government
Important Procedure Rule:

Caste is hereditary through the paternal lineage. Ancestor records (father's or grandfather's caste certificate or historical pre-1950/pre-1967 land/school records) are strictly required by revenue authorities during enquiry.

State-Specific Variations:

Cut-off residence years for caste recognition vary by state (e.g. 1950 for SC/ST in most states, 1967/1993 for OBC depending on state laws). Certificates must be issued by the state of ancestral origin.

4. Official Application Fees & Timeline

Statutory Government Rates

Official Fee Breakdown

Online State Portal Application₹10 – ₹30

Official statutory fee on state e-District / ServicePlus portal.

Online Portal
CSC / Citizen Facilitation Centre₹30 – ₹60

Assisted submission fee covering document scanning and biometric verification receipt.

Estimated Processing Timeline

Genealogical Document Review5 to 10 days

Scrutiny of father's caste certificate and historical school records.

Field Verification by Revenue Inspector / Patwari7 to 15 days

Local area verification of ancestral community lineage and social standing.

SDO / Tehsildar Scrutiny & Issue5 to 10 days

Final approval by competent revenue officer with digital signature.

SC and ST certificates typically have lifelong validity. OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificates require annual renewal based on financial year income.

5. Documents Required

3 Document Types
1. Paternal Lineage Proof (Father's / Ancestor's Caste Record)caste

Note: Maternal documents are generally not accepted under standard paternal lineage laws.

Accepted Proofs
Father's Caste CertificatePaternal Uncle's / Grandfather's Caste CertificateFather's School Leaving Certificate / Transfer Certificate (TC) specifying casteHistorical Land Revenue / Khatoni record mentioning caste
2. Applicant's Identity & Address Proofidentity
Accepted Proofs
Aadhaar Card10th School CertificateRation CardVoter ID
3. Self-Declaration / Affidavitother
Accepted Proofs
Prescribed state caste declaration form with passport photo

6. Supporting Documents You Need to Prepare

Government certificate applications often require you to attach supporting declarations, affidavits, or undertakings sworn on stamp paper. Easy to Doc helps you prepare these supporting drafts before submitting to the authority:

Caste Lineage Self-Declaration Affidavitaffidavit

Sworn affidavit stating community lineage and relationship to the paternal certificate holder.

Draft with Easy to Doc
Family Tree (Vanshavali) Declarationdeclaration

Genealogical chart signed by the village head or applicant showing paternal ancestry.

Draft with Easy to Doc

7. How to Apply (Official Step-by-Step Procedure)

1

Identify Category & State Form

Determine whether applying for SC, ST, or OBC (State or Central format) on your state e-District portal.

2

Assemble Paternal Ancestral Documents

Ensure you have your father's caste certificate or old school records establishing community membership.

3

Submit Application & Revenue Inspection

Upload proofs, pay portal fee, and coordinate with the local Revenue Inspector (Patwari/Lekhpal) for verification.

4

Receive Digitally Signed Certificate

Download the QR-verified caste certificate with unique government verification number.

8. Common Rejection Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting mother's caste certificate instead of paternal records
  • Applying in a state where your family migrated after the statutory cut-off year
  • Confusing state OBC certificate with Central Government format required for UPSC/SSC/IITs

9. Frequently Asked Questions

Does an SC or ST certificate have an expiry date?

No. SC and ST certificates have lifelong validity and do not expire. However, OBC-NCL and EWS certificates require annual renewal because they depend on annual family income.

What is the difference between State OBC and Central OBC certificates?

State OBC certificates apply to state government exams, jobs, and state universities. Central OBC certificates follow the Central List published by NCBC and are required for Central Government recruitments (UPSC, SSC, Railways) and central universities (IITs, NITs, AIIMS).

Official GuidanceUpdated 2026-08-15

Ready to apply?

Make sure you have gathered all required proofs before visiting the official state or central portal.

Direct submission on government portal
Easy to Doc does not charge any application or issue fees