Documents required for caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC) — 2026 checklist

• Application form — State-specific (downloadable from state e-District portal)
• Father's caste certificate — Mandatory base proof; if father is deceased, grandfather's
• Self & family identity proof — Aadhaar + Voter ID + ration card
• Residence proof — Aadhaar / Electricity bill / Voter ID / property tax receipt
• Birth certificate — For DOB and parent identification
• Affidavit — Self-declaration of caste + lineage; on Rs. 10 stamp paper, notarised
• Two passport-size photos — White background, recent

• Migration certificate — For families that migrated from one state to another (caste certificate of state of origin)
• School TC + Class 10 marksheet — Mentioning caste — supplementary proof
• Mother's caste certificate — Some states require for cross-caste verification
• Adoption deed — For adopted children — to claim biological parent's caste in some states
• Tribal welfare officer's certificate — For ST in scheduled areas

• SC certificate — only for those listed in Constitutional SC Order for that state.
• ST certificate — only for those listed in Constitutional ST Order for that state. Some tribes are scheduled in some states only.
• OBC certificate has 2 types: Central (NCL/non-creamy-layer based on Rs. 8 lakh income) and State (state OBC list, separate income criteria).
• Validity — SC/ST permanent; OBC needs renewal every 1-3 years for non-creamy-layer recertification.
• Inter-state migration — original-state certificate not auto-valid in new state; need migration certificate or fresh application.
• Patwari / Patwari report — field verification by revenue official; mandatory for ST in scheduled areas.

Tehsildar / SDM office OR online via state e-District portal (e.g., e-District UP, MeeSeva AP, e-Sevana TN, etc.).

→ Official source: https://services.india.gov.in/service/detail/apply-online-for-caste-certificate-1

If your caste claim is rejected, file RTI for the rejection reasoning under §4(1)(d) + appeal to District Magistrate. Strict scrutiny per Madhuri Patil v. ADC Tribal (SC 1994).

→ Use our 🪄 AI RTI Drafter to generate a free §6(1) application asking for the rejection reason in 60 seconds.

Generally father's caste applies in India for legal purposes. But in some matriarchal communities (Khasi, Garo), mother's lineage prevails.

SC/ST: lifetime. OBC NCL: 1-3 years (state-specific).

Yes — caste certificate is state-specific for SC/ST (Const. Articles 341/342). Apply at new state with migration certificate.

Yes for India-based services if Indian citizenship maintained; not for NRI-status applications.

Apply for father's duplicate first OR submit grandfather's certificate + sworn affidavit.

1. Gather mandatory documents above before applying — saves a re-visit
2. Apply via official portal (link above) — no agent needed
3. Track status: see our status-check guides
4. If rejected for “documents inadequate”: request specific deficiency under §4(1)(d) RTI Act
5. For state-specific guidance: see state portals directory

• 🪄 AI RTI Drafter — type problem, get §6 application
• 🎤 AwaazRTI — voice-to-RTI in 11 Indian languages
• 🔮 Outcome Predictor — score draft win-likelihood
• ⚖️ First Appeal Generator — §19(1) draft on Day 31
• 📅 Timeline Calculator — track 30-day window

• State-by-state: Caste Certificate across all 36 states
• If rejected, file RTI: Full RTI guide
• Citizen RTI playbook: All 100+ scenarios
• All documents checklists: All 30 checklists

• Statutory references: as cited in Specifications above
• Official portal: linked in “Where to apply” above
• RTI Act 2005 §§4, 6, 7, 19

Last reviewed: 25 April 2026.