A caste certificate is what lets you claim a reserved seat or post in Assam — in a recruitment, a college admission or a scholarship. It records that you belong to a Scheduled Caste, a Scheduled Tribe, an Other Backward Class or a More Other Backward Class as notified for the state. This guide explains how to apply for a caste certificate in Assam in plain steps: the categories, who qualifies, the documents to keep ready — the father's caste certificate matters most — the process on the Sewa Setu portal, the fee, and the time limit.
It follows the caste certificate service on Sewa Setu, run by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Government of Assam, and the district administration pages that describe the same process. Figures such as the fee and the time limit are given as the sources state them — confirm the exact numbers on the service page before you pay.
The caste categories in Assam
The caste certificate service covers these categories, and you pick yours inside the application form:
- Scheduled Caste (SC) — for communities on the state's SC list.
- Scheduled Tribe (Plains) — ST(P) — for the plains tribal communities.
- Scheduled Tribe (Hills) — ST(H) — for the hill tribal communities, with defined rules for members of a hill tribe staying in the plains and vice versa.
- Other Backward Classes (OBC) / More Other Backward Classes (MOBC) — for the state's backward-class list. MOBC is Assam's own sub-category within OBC.
Apply under the exact category the recruitment or admission notice recognises. A central government job uses the central OBC list, which is not the same as Assam's OBC/MOBC list — for a central post you may also need a central OBC certificate and a Non-Creamy Layer certificate. The notice will say which.
Who is eligible for a caste certificate
You are eligible if:
- You belong to a community notified as SC, ST(P), ST(H), OBC or MOBC for Assam, and
- You are a permanent resident of Assam, and
- Your father (or, in defined cases, your mother) belongs to that same community — caste passes through the family, so the parent's status is the basis of the claim.
A woman who marries into a community does not acquire its caste status for a certificate; the certificate follows the community you were born into.
Documents you need for a caste certificate application
The single most important document is your father's caste certificate. If your father does not have one, the process still works, but it needs a recommendation in its place and the enquiry takes longer. Scan every document clearly before you begin.
| Document | What is accepted | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Father's caste certificate | A copy of the father's SC / ST / OBC / MOBC certificate in the same category | Primary proof |
| If the father has no certificate | A recommendation from a caste, tribe or community organisation notified by the State Government for that community, plus older family records (school records, land records, an earlier certificate of a relative) | In place of the above |
| Proof of age and identity | Birth certificate, HSLC (class 10) admit card or pass certificate, or a school certificate | Yes |
| Proof of residence | Electoral roll / EPIC of you or a parent, a land record (Chitha / Jamabandi), or a ration card | Yes |
| Recent passport-size photograph | A plain-background colour photo | Yes |
| Supporting documents | Voter lists showing the community entry, an affidavit, the caste certificate of a sibling or close relative | Helpful |
Each file has a size limit, usually under a megabyte, in PDF or JPEG. Use compress PDF for an oversized scan and resize image for a photo — both run in your browser, nothing is uploaded. The passport photo tool makes a plain-background photo to the right size.
How to apply for a caste certificate online on Sewa Setu
Step 1: Register on Sewa Setu
Go to sewasetu.assam.gov.in, click Register, and sign up with a mobile number and email. Verify the mobile with the OTP. Notifications about your application go to both, so use ones you check.
Step 2: Open the caste certificate service
Sign in, open the service list, and select the Issuance of Caste Certificate service, under the Revenue and Disaster Management Department. It covers SC, ST(P), ST(H), OBC and MOBC — you choose your category inside the form, and the document requirements adjust to it. (Some districts and autonomous councils show the SC, ST and OBC/MOBC versions as separate entries; pick the one for your category.)
Step 3: Fill the application form
Enter your personal details, parentage, permanent address, and the caste or community exactly as it is spelt on the state's notified list and on your father's certificate. Fields with a red asterisk are compulsory. A spelling that does not match the notified list is a common reason for a query.
Step 4: Upload the documents
Attach the father's caste certificate as the main proof. If he has none, attach the notified organisation's recommendation and every older family record you can find. Add your age proof, residence proof and photograph. Keep each file inside the size limit.
Step 5: Submit and save the reference number
Check the draft line by line, then submit. You get an acknowledgement with an application reference number — save it to track the application and to download the certificate later.
Step 6: Verification by the Circle Officer
The application goes to the Circle Officer for your revenue circle, who verifies the claim against records and, where the father's certificate is missing, against the recommendation and the family history. You may be asked for a clarification, or to appear at the Circle Office — respond quickly.
Step 7: Download the digitally signed certificate
Once the Sub-Divisional Officer or the Deputy Commissioner gives digital approval, the certificate is issued with a digital signature and a QR code and is available to download from the portal under track-status. You also get an SMS and an email. A digitally signed certificate with a QR code is valid as it is — no attestation needed.
Caste certificate fee, time limit and validity in Assam
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Government processing fee | Around ₹30 |
| Extra at a PFC or CSC | Small printing and scanning charges on top of the ₹30, if you use their counter |
| Time limit | A time-bound service under the Assam Right to Public Services Act, commonly cited as 30 working days from submission |
| Validity | A caste certificate for SC, ST(P) or ST(H) is issued for lifetime — you do not renew it. For OBC/MOBC, where the benefit depends on not being in the creamy layer, a recruitment may ask for a recent income declaration alongside the certificate |
The 30-working-day limit runs longer when the father has no certificate and the enquiry has to establish the claim from older records, so start well before a deadline. Working days exclude the closures in the Assam government holiday list 2026.
Common reasons a caste certificate is delayed or rejected
- The caste name does not match the notified list. Use the exact spelling from the state notification and your father's certificate.
- No father's certificate and no notified recommendation. An organisation's letter only helps if that organisation is one the State Government has notified for the community.
- Wrong category. Applying under OBC when the community is MOBC, or under ST(P) instead of ST(H), sends the file back.
- Central vs state list confusion. A state OBC/MOBC certificate is not a central OBC certificate. For a central government post, check which the notice wants.
- Poor scans. Get clean files inside the size limit with the browser tools.
After you get your caste certificate
Attach the digitally signed PDF to your application, and keep it — an SC, ST(P) or ST(H) certificate does not expire. If a recruitment also asks for proof of residence for admission purposes, see how to apply for a PRC in Assam. If you find you are actually in the general category and the post has an EWS quota, see how to apply for an EWS certificate in Assam instead — you cannot hold both a caste certificate and claim EWS.
With your certificate in hand, browse the latest Assam government job posts, admission notices and scholarships, check your eligibility, and use the official websites list to confirm where to apply. Everything is gathered on the Resources page.