Caste Certificate 2026 — SC/ST/OBC Apply Online, Documents & Validity
Caste Certificate 2026: SC/ST/OBC apply online at state e-District / Sarathi portal, documents required, creamy-layer rule (₹8 lakh income), validity, and EWS certificate process.
Table of Contents ▾
Quick summary. Caste certificates in India are issued by state governments through the Tehsildar / Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Apply online at your state’s e-District / Seva Sindhu / e-Saral / Edistrict portal. Three main types: SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), OBC (Other Backward Class — central or state list). OBC requires Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificate, with the creamy layer limit at ₹8 lakh annual family income (revised in 2017; pending revision to ₹15 lakh awaits Cabinet approval). EWS (Economically Weaker Section) certificate is issued separately to general category candidates with family income under ₹8 lakh. Fee: typically ₹30–₹100, time: 15–30 days.
The caste-certificate system is the gateway to over 150 reservation-based benefits — central government jobs, state jobs, education admissions (engineering, medical, law), promotion in service, scholarship, and certain welfare schemes. The certificate itself is a one-time issuance for SC / ST (lifetime validity for state list; needs to be re-issued for central list every 6 months for jobs); OBC NCL is valid for 1 year for central jobs / education and must be re-issued each financial year.
The 2024 e-District nationalisation drive has standardised the online application format across most states. The remaining variability is in caste-list mapping — your specific caste/sub-caste must appear on the central or state notification list for the certificate to issue.
At a glance
| Certificate | Issuing authority | Valid for | Re-issue frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC (Scheduled Caste) | Tehsildar | Lifetime (state); 6 months for central jobs | Re-issue for central jobs / re-validation |
| ST (Scheduled Tribe) | Tehsildar | Lifetime (state); 6 months for central jobs | Re-issue for central jobs |
| OBC NCL (central list) | Tehsildar / SDM | 1 year for central jobs / education | Annual (each FY) |
| OBC (state list) | Tehsildar | Varies by state (1 year typical) | Annual / per requirement |
| EWS (Economically Weaker Section) | Tehsildar | 1 year (per FY) | Annual |
Who is eligible?
Educational Qualification
Not applicable
Age Limit (As on Date of application)
0 to 120 Years
Other Requirements
- Nationality: Indian citizen, with state domicile in the state of application
- SC / ST — applicant must belong to a caste / tribe in the President's notified list under Articles 341 / 342 (the central list) AND have state domicile
- OBC — applicant must be in the central / state OBC list AND family annual income (excluding agricultural and salary up to ₹X) must be under ₹8 lakh per year (Non-Creamy Layer rule)
- EWS — applicant from general category, family annual income < ₹8 lakh, family must NOT own 5 acres+ agricultural land / 1,000 sq ft+ flat in city / 100 sq yd+ residential plot in notified municipality
- Father's caste is normally inherited; mother's caste applies only in cases of inter-caste marriage where the child elects to follow the mother
- For inter-state migration — caste from origin-state continues but a fresh certificate from the current state is required for state-quota benefits
Documents required
While filling online form
- Aadhaar card of applicant
- Identity proof (Voter ID / PAN / DL)
- Address proof + state domicile certificate
- Father's caste certificate (or grandfather's, if available — caste is hereditary in patrilineal succession)
- Two self-declarations / affidavits — (a) caste-claim affidavit, (b) non-creamy-layer affidavit (for OBC NCL only)
- Income certificate from Tehsil (for OBC NCL — proves under ₹8 lakh)
- Land record OR proof of no land (for EWS only)
- Birth certificate / 10th certificate (for DOB proof)
- Two passport-size photographs
How to apply (state-portal route)
The exact portal varies by state; the steps are similar everywhere.
| State | Portal |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | edistrict.up.gov.in |
| Maharashtra | aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in |
| Karnataka | sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in |
| Delhi | edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in |
| Bihar | serviceonline.bihar.gov.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | mpedistrict.gov.in |
| Tamil Nadu | tnedistrict.tn.gov.in |
| West Bengal | edistrict.wb.gov.in |
| Rajasthan | sso.rajasthan.gov.in / e-Mitra |
| Telangana | meeseva.telangana.gov.in |
Step-by-step (sample — UP edistrict)
- Open the state portal → Sign-up with mobile + email + Aadhaar.
- Login → Caste certificate → choose SC / ST / OBC NCL / EWS.
- Fill: personal details, family income, caste/sub-caste, Khasra number (rural) / address (urban).
- Upload all documents listed above.
- Pay fee (₹30–₹100 depending on state).
- Submit. Application Number by SMS.
- Patwari / Lekhpal verifies (10–15 days).
- Tehsildar / SDM signs and issues digital certificate (5–10 days).
- Download the digitally signed PDF from your portal dashboard.
⏰ Last Date: Open (rolling)
Find your state e-District portalClicking this button will take you to the official government portal.
Creamy Layer (OBC) explained
Even if your caste is in the OBC list, you do not get OBC reservation benefits if your family is in the creamy layer. The current criteria:
| Indicator | Creamy layer if… |
|---|---|
| Family annual income | Above ₹8 lakh (excluding agricultural income and salary up to ₹X) |
| Father / mother is a Group-A officer (Class-I) | Yes, regardless of income |
| Father is a Group-B officer (gazetted Class-II) | Yes, since the start of his service |
| Father in Defence — Colonel and above | Yes |
| Owns commercial property / industry above limits | Yes |
| Professionals (doctor, lawyer, engineer, CA) earning above the threshold | Yes |
The income limit was last revised in 2017 (₹8 lakh from ₹6 lakh). Government has signalled a hike to ₹15 lakh but the Cabinet has not yet approved it — verify the prevailing limit on the central DoPT website at the time of issue.
EWS certificate (10% reservation since 2019)
EWS is for general-category candidates (not SC/ST/OBC) whose family income is under ₹8 lakh and family does not exceed certain land/property thresholds:
| Asset filter | Limit |
|---|---|
| Annual family income | < ₹8 lakh |
| Agricultural land | < 5 acres |
| Residential flat | < 1,000 sq ft |
| Residential plot in notified municipality | < 100 sq yd |
| Residential plot in non-notified area | < 200 sq yd |
EWS certificate is valid for 1 year (per financial year). Apply at the same state e-District portal.
Common rejection reasons
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Caste / sub-caste not in notified list | Check the central OBC list at ncbc.nic.in / state SC/ST list — request inclusion if your caste is missing (a long process) |
| Income certificate above ₹8 lakh | Update your income certificate first; it must be < ₹8 lakh for OBC NCL / EWS |
| Domicile mismatch | Provide stronger domicile proof — voter ID + utility bill in the state for 5+ years |
| Father’s caste certificate missing | Submit grandfather’s or earlier ancestor’s caste certificate; or affidavit + village patwari report |
| Patwari report adverse | Re-submit with corrected family details + village headman declaration |
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the validity of a caste certificate?
2. What is the creamy layer limit in 2026?
3. Can I get a caste certificate from the state I currently live in if I migrated from another state?
4. Is the EWS certificate caste-based?
5. What if my caste is in the central OBC list but not the state list?
6. How long does it take to get the certificate?
7. Is the digitally signed certificate valid?
8. Can a child of inter-caste marriage choose either parent's caste?
Latest updates
The Cabinet, in February 2026, deferred the creamy-layer revision to ₹15 lakh pending the National Backward Classes Commission’s recommendations. The 2026 budget allocated funds for end-to-end caste-certificate digitisation in 9 remaining states — making PDF certificates with QR codes the default issuance everywhere by March 2027. From January 2026, DigiLocker auto-fetch is live for 22 states — a caste certificate issued anywhere flows directly into the applicant’s DigiLocker.
Official links
Disclaimer. SarkariBaba is an independent information publisher. Caste lists, creamy-layer limits and state portals change periodically — verify on ncbc.nic.in / dopt.gov.in / your state e-District portal before applying.
