Official revenue certificate issued by the Tehsildar or SDM certifying individuals financially dependent on a government servant, deceased defense personnel, or family breadwinner for compassionate appointments and family pensions
Under Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) guidelines for compassionate appointments, the applicant must produce an authentic Dependent Certificate from the Revenue Authority proving they have no independent source of livelihood.
💡 A Dependent Certificate (known as Ashrit Praman Patra in Hindi-speaking states and Dependency Certificate elsewhere) is an official revenue document issued by a Tehsildar or SDM. It certifies that the applicant was strictly and wholly reliant on the primary earner for food, shelter, and financial sustenance. Unlike a Legal Heir Certificate (which determines who inherits property), a Dependent Certificate specifically determines who qualifies for social welfare entitlements, compassionate government jobs, and family pensions based on economic dependency.
Comparing the two critical post-demise certificates used in government administration.
| Feature | Dependent Certificate (Ashrit) | Legal Heir Certificate (Warisan) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Objective | Certifies financial reliance and lack of independent income | Certifies legal blood relationship and inheritance rights | Different statutory objectives |
| Primary Use Cases | Compassionate jobs, family pension, CGHS/ECHS medical cards, CSD canteen | Bank deposits, PPF closure, property transfer, mutual fund transmission | Dependent cert is strictly for welfare/service benefits |
| Income Scrutiny | Rigorous investigation of applicant's income (must be <₹9,000/mo) | Zero income investigation; all biological children qualify regardless of wealth | Wealthy heirs cannot get a dependent certificate |
| Eligibility of Married Children | Married sons and married daughters are generally excluded | Married children are fully included as Class-I legal heirs | Marital status is critical for dependency |
15 to 30 working days via state e-District portals or local revenue offices.
Statutory application fee of ₹20 to ₹50 on state revenue portals; physical non-judicial stamp duty of ₹10 to ₹100 on the dependency affidavit.
Immediate family members who resided with the employee/pensioner at the time of death/service and whose independent monthly income is below the statutory dependency limit (currently ₹9,000 per month plus dearness relief under Central Government norms).
Unemployed sons, unmarried/widowed daughters, dependent aged parents, or minor siblings of deceased or serving government employees, defense personnel, and railway staff applying for: (1) Compassionate Appointment (Dying-in-Harness scheme); (2) Family Pension under CCS (Pension) Rules; (3) Dependent CGHS / ECHS health smart cards; and (4) Armed Forces Canteen Smart Cards (CSD).
Secure the official death certificate of the breadwinner and an Income Certificate from the Tehsildar establishing that your independent income is below the dependency threshold.
Execute an affidavit on non-judicial stamp paper stating your relationship, that you were wholly dependent on the deceased at the time of their demise, and that you are not gainfully employed in any government or organized sector job.
Log in to your state's e-District portal (e.g., edistrict.up.gov.in, Seva Sindhu, or Aaple Sarkar) under 'Revenue Services' → 'Issuance of Dependent Certificate / Ashrit Praman Patra'. Upload all documents.
The application is routed to the local Lekhpal / Patwari and Revenue Inspector (RI), who conduct a spot inquiry at your residence to verify family assets, living standards, and local witness statements.
Upon receiving a favorable inquiry report, the Tehsildar approves and signs the digital Dependent Certificate containing a government hologram and verification QR code.
Under Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) regulations:
A family member is treated as dependent if their overall monthly earning from all sources (including interest, rent, and private jobs) does not exceed the minimum family pension (₹9,000 per month) plus Dearness Relief (DR).
Unmarried, widowed, or divorced daughters are eligible for dependent family pension and medical benefits provided their income remains below the ₹9,000 + DR ceiling and they have not remarried.
Citizens can download and verify the certificate directly from the state citizen dashboard:
Go to the state e-District portal and click 'Track Application' or 'Verify Certificate'.
Input the 12-digit Application Reference Number and the applicant's registered mobile number.
Download the PDF copy. Government departments and defense authorities can verify the authenticity of the certificate by scanning the printed QR code.
Standard solutions when revenue authorities raise queries.
| Issue Encountered | Probable Root Cause | Recommended Remedial Action |
|---|---|---|
| Lekhpal / Patwari reports applicant has 'Sufficient Income' | Agricultural land holdings or family commercial shop | Obtain an official revenue breakdown showing that the land parcel generates less than the ₹9,000/month threshold per capita across all family members. |
| Dispute between siblings over compassionate job nomination | Department compassionate appointment policy | The Tehsildar can certify all eligible children as dependents; the administrative department's Compassionate Appointment Committee will select the most deserving candidate based on a 100-point merit scale. |
| Divorced daughter denied dependent certificate | Date of divorce vs date of employee's demise | Under DoPPW circulars, a divorced daughter is entitled to family pension if the divorce decree was granted or divorce proceedings were instituted in court prior to the parent's death. |
| Defense authorities reject state-format dependent certificate | Zila Sainik Welfare Office (ZSWO) format requirements | Take the Tehsildar's certificate to the District Sainik Board; the Zila Sainik Welfare Officer will counter-sign the defense-specific dependent card. |
No. The entire foundation of a Dependent Certificate is economic dependence and lack of independent livelihood. If a son is gainfully employed in a government, corporate, or established business capacity, he is legally barred from receiving a Dependent Certificate.
Under Central Government rules (DoPT and Ministry of Defence), a family member is deemed dependent if their monthly income from all sources does not exceed the minimum family pension (₹9,000 per month) plus applicable Dearness Relief. Various state governments set similar limits between ₹6,000 and ₹10,000 per month.
Historically, married daughters were excluded. However, following multiple landmark High Court and Supreme Court judgments, several state governments (such as Maharashtra, UP, and Karnataka) now allow married daughters to apply for compassionate appointments provided they can prove they were genuinely dependent on the deceased parent and have no independent support.
Yes. To add parents, unmarried daughters, or unemployed sons (up to age 25) to a Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) or Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) card, an official Dependent Certificate or Income Certificate verifying that their income is below ₹9,000 + DR is mandatory.
While relationship status is permanent, financial dependency is dynamic. Most government departments and defense authorities accept a Dependent Certificate for one financial year (6 to 12 months) from the date of issuance, requiring a fresh certificate if claims are processed in subsequent years.
Comprehensive regulatory guidelines governing compassionate appointments, dependency determinations, and 100-point merit evaluation systems.
Checked on November 4, 2026
View Reference Document ↗Statutory rules governing eligibility of dependent parents, widowed/divorced daughters, and disabled siblings for family pension.
Checked on November 4, 2026
View Reference Document ↗Revenue-office certificate (Tehsildar / SDM) naming the surviving family members of a deceased person, used for pension, bank, insurance and utility claims
Death registration under the RBD Act: 21-day rule, cause-of-death certificate, delayed registration after the 2026 amendment and CRS certificate download
Income certificate validity rules, state e-District online application, renewal, and required documents
PPO (Pension Payment Order) vs annual life certificate: how to get or download your e-PPO, find an EPFO PPO number, and submit Jeevan Pramaan (face app or biometric)
Who can get a CGHS card, contribution by pay level, how serving employees and pensioners apply, and how to download the e-card (Beneficiary Login, myCGHS, DigiLocker)
Statutory welfare petition and application form governed under the DoPT Scheme for Compassionate Appointment, 2022 and State Dying-in-Harness Rules, granting employment in Group C and MTS posts to dependent family members of government servants who die in active service or retire on invalid medical grounds
Official municipal rejection letter issued under Section 17 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act certifying that no birth record exists, mandatory for US Green Card (I-485) and Canada PR
Official revenue certificate issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate or Tehsildar certifying continuous residence in designated rural or international border villages, granting 5%–15% quota benefits in state civil exams, police recruitment, and medical admissions
Issued by the Revenue Department (Tehsildar / Sub-Divisional Magistrate / Sub-Collector) under State Public Service Delivery Rules and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) guidelines.
State e-District Citizen Portal →