Article 341 Constitution Order 1950, 15% reservation, lifetime validity, e-District portal & DigiLocker download
Visit Official Portal →💡 An SC (Scheduled Caste) Certificate is an official statutory identity document issued by the Revenue Authority (Tehsildar / SDM) under Article 341 of the Constitution of India and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 granting 15% reservation in government jobs, educational institutions (IITs, AIIMS, UPSC), and welfare schemes. It has lifetime validity.
15–30 working days (post-revenue field inspection by Patwari / Lekhpal)
100% Free (nominal ₹10–₹30 service charge on state e-District citizen service centers)
Applicants whose caste is notified in the Presidential Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 for their home state/UT and who possess genealogical or revenue lineage proof of belonging to that community
Citizens belonging to Scheduled Caste communities listed under Article 341 of the Constitution seeking 15% reservation in Central/State Government jobs (UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, State PSCs), admissions in educational institutions (IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, Central/State Universities), fee concessions, and government welfare schemes
Verify on socialjustice.gov.in that your community name matches the official statutory entry for your specific state.
Log into your state's citizen service portal (e.g., e-District UP, Aaple Sarkar Maharashtra, MeeSeva, RTPS Bihar, e-District Delhi) and select 'Issuance of Scheduled Caste (SC) Certificate'.
Fill in applicant information, native village coordinates, and paternal lineage records (father/grandfather's caste details).
Upload scanned copies of Aadhaar, father's SC certificate, school leaving certificates, and the notarized self-declaration.
The local Patwari/Lekhpal conducts a community enquiry in your native village to verify historical community standing.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or Tehsildar digitally approves the certificate. Download the QR-coded color PDF from the portal or fetch it directly into DigiLocker.
How to correct typographical errors or convert an old manual SC certificate to a digital QR-coded certificate:
Log into your state e-District portal and select 'Digitization of Legacy Caste Certificate / Correction'.
Provide a clear color scan of the legacy paper certificate along with modern ID proofs.
The Tehsil registrar verifies the entry against the permanent caste registry ledger.
Receive the modern, digitally signed certificate with a permanent barcode.
Download an official digital SC Caste Certificate PDF online:
Visit your state portal (e.g., edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in, edistrict.up.gov.in, aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in).
Enter your Application Reference Number and Certificate ID.
Enter the one-time password sent to your registered mobile number.
Save and print the digital certificate carrying the electronic signature of the Tehsildar / Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
Track your SC certificate application and Patwari verification status online:
Go to your state e-District portal and click 'Track Application Status'.
Input the acknowledgment reference number received via SMS.
Check whether your application is under Patwari field inquiry, Revenue Inspector review, or approved for digital signing.
An SC Certificate has LIFETIME VALIDITY. Because caste is acquired by birth, the certificate does not expire, and there is NO income limit or creamy layer concept applicable to Scheduled Castes for claiming constitutional reservations.
Generally, under Indian law, caste is determined by paternal lineage (father's caste). However, as ruled by the Supreme Court of India (Rameshbhai Dabhai Naika case), if a child was raised entirely in the mother's community and faced social deprivation, an exception may be examined by the District Magistrate on exceptional merit.
1) State SC Certificate: Issued in regional languages mentioning state government acts for state jobs and local university admissions. 2) Central SC Certificate: Issued in the prescribed Government of India Annexure format citing the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950, mandatory for Central Government jobs (UPSC, SSC, Railways) and Central Universities (IITs, AIIMS).
1) Open DigiLocker (digilocker.gov.in). 2) Search for your state Revenue Department (e.g., 'Revenue Department UP / Maharashtra'). 3) Select 'Caste Certificate' and enter your Application / Certificate Number. 4) The digitally signed SC certificate is saved permanently in your Issued Documents.
In states like Maharashtra, after receiving an SC caste certificate from the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), candidates must submit their genealogy documents to the Divisional Caste Scrutiny Committee to obtain a 'Caste Validity Certificate' (Jaati Vaidhyata Pramanpatra) for professional college admissions and government elections.
Visit the official government portal to start your application
Go to Official Portal →