SC/ST lifetime validity, Central OBC Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) rules, DoPT format & e-District apply steps
Visit Official Portal →💡 A Caste Certificate is an official document issued by the state revenue department (Tehsildar / SDM) certifying an individual's community as Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), or Other Backward Class (OBC). SC and ST certificates have lifetime validity, while OBC Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificates are valid for 1 Financial Year (under the ₹8 Lakh income threshold). For central government recruitments (UPSC, SSC, NEET, JEE), a DoPT Central Format certificate is mandatory.
15–30 working days (varies by state e-District SLA)
₹15–₹50 (Statutory state service charge)
Any citizen whose caste/community is officially recognized in the State List or Central List of SC/ST/OBC
Citizens belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) claiming reservation in government jobs (UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways), higher education (NEET, JEE, CUET, IIT, IIM), scholarships, and state welfare schemes
Log into your state's citizen service portal (eDistrict UP, Aaple Sarkar Maharashtra, Nadakacheri Karnataka, RTPS Bihar, TN e-Seva, e-District Delhi).
Choose between Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), or Other Backward Class (OBC). For central exams like NEET/UPSC, ensure you apply for the 'Central Government Format'.
Upload copies of father's caste certificate or revenue land records establishing family caste domicile before the prescribed cutoff year (e.g., 1950 for SC/ST, 1967/1993 for OBC).
Pay the statutory e-District application fee (₹15–₹50) via UPI or Net Banking.
The Revenue Inspector (Lekhpal / Patwari / VAO) conducts a local community inquiry to verify lineage and submits a field verification report.
Once approved by the Tehsildar / Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), download the digitally signed certificate with a verifiable QR code, or fetch it via DigiLocker.
To correct name spelling, category classification, or sub-caste on your issued Caste Certificate:
Log into your state e-District portal or approach the issuing Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) / Tehsildar office.
Submit a written application stating the exact clerical error along with your Class 10 marksheet and father's caste certificate.
The revenue clerk compares the request with the original Tehsil caste register ledger.
An amended, digitally signed Caste Certificate will be generated on the portal.
Download your official digitally signed Caste Certificate (SC/ST/OBC) PDF online:
Visit your state's citizen portal (eDistrict UP, Aaple Sarkar, Nadakacheri, RTPS Bihar, e-District Delhi).
Enter the unique Application / Acknowledgment Number from your submission receipt.
Download the official certificate bearing the electronic digital signature of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) / Tehsildar.
Store the document in your DigiLocker app for paperless government verification.
Track your Caste Certificate application status in real time:
Navigate to the 'Track Application Status' page on your state e-District website.
Input the alphanumeric reference number from your fee receipt.
View whether your file is pending with the Lekhpal/Patwari inquiry officer, approved by the Tehsildar, or ready for download.
1) SC & ST Certificates: Valid for a LIFETIME (caste identity does not change). 2) OBC Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) Certificates: Valid for ONE FINANCIAL YEAR (from April 1 to March 31 of the financial year in which it is issued), because eligibility depends on parental annual income remaining below the ₹8 Lakh threshold. 3) State Caste Validity: In states like Maharashtra, an additional 'Caste Validity Certificate' issued by the Scrutiny Committee is required for professional admissions and elections.
A State OBC Certificate is issued under the state government list for state engineering/medical colleges and state government recruitments. A Central OBC Certificate is issued in the specific DoPT-prescribed English/Hindi format certifying that the caste is included in the Central OBC List maintained by NCBC (National Commission for Backward Classes) and that the candidate does not belong to the Creamy Layer. It is mandatory for All India Quota (NEET, JEE), Central Universities, and Central Government jobs (UPSC, SSC, Railways).
Under Central Government DoPT rules, the gross annual parental income threshold for OBC Non-Creamy Layer status is ₹8,00,000 (Rupees Eight Lakh) per annum for the last three consecutive financial years. Income from salaries and agricultural land is excluded when determining creamy layer status for government employees.
Generally NO. Under Indian customary and statutory law, a person inherits the caste of their biological father. Only in exceptional circumstances (such as a single mother who raised the child entirely without the father's presence or assistance, substantiated by court orders and local inquiry) may authorities consider the mother's caste.
1) Open digilocker.gov.in or the DigiLocker app. 2) Search for your State Revenue Department (e.g., 'Revenue Department Uttar Pradesh / Maharashtra / Delhi'). 3) Select 'Caste Certificate'. 4) Enter your Application Number and Certificate ID. 5) Click 'Get Document' to fetch your digitally signed, legally valid e-Caste Certificate.
Visit the official government portal to start your application
Go to Official Portal →