A Permanent Residence Certificate — most people call it the PRC — proves that you and your family have lived in Assam long enough to count as permanent residents of the state. It is issued by the Deputy Commissioner, and in Assam it is used almost entirely for one thing: claiming a seat reserved for Assam residents when you apply for admission to a college or a professional course outside the state, or to an institution that asks for it. This guide explains how to apply for a PRC in Assam in plain steps — what it is for, who qualifies, the documents you need, the process on the Sewa Setu portal, the fee and the time limit.
It is checked against the PRC guidelines of the Home & Political Department, Government of Assam, several district administration pages, and the service as it runs on Sewa Setu.
Do you actually need a PRC for an Assam government job?
Usually not — and this is the part that wastes people's time. The standard Assam PRC is issued for the purpose of educational admission. The certificate itself carries a printed restriction that it is valid only for the specific admission it was issued for and not for any other purpose. So a PRC is the wrong document to reach for when a job form asks you to prove you are from Assam.
For a government job application, residence is normally established another way:
- Your Employment Exchange registration, which is district-based and is itself proof that you are a permanent resident of that district — and which most Assam government forms ask for anyway.
- Ordinary residence documents — the electoral roll / voter ID showing you or a parent in an Assam constituency, a land record, a ration card.
- A caste or EWS certificate, where you are claiming a reserved category — those establish residence as part of the process. See how to apply for a caste certificate and how to apply for an EWS certificate in Assam.
Read the recruitment notice. If it lists a "PRC" or "domicile certificate" as a required document, ask the recruiting office exactly which document and which format they accept before you apply for anything — do not assume the educational PRC will do.
Who is eligible for a PRC in Assam
You qualify for a PRC if:
- You are a citizen of India, and
- Your parents or forefathers have lived in Assam continuously for at least 50 years, or
- Your guardian has lived in Assam continuously for at least 20 years.
These two figures are the ones the PRC service page on Sewa Setu asks you to prove with documents, as of 4 October 2026. A copy of a family member's PRC, stating the relationship, is accepted as a supporting document, so a child of a PRC holder has a strong case. The enquiry officer applies the current guideline, and the wording can differ a little in the autonomous council areas.
Documents you need for a PRC application
Scan or photograph each document clearly before you start. Sewa Setu holds a part-finished form for only so long, and stopping to hunt for a paper is the usual reason a session times out.
| Document | What is accepted | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of age and identity | Birth certificate, HSLC (class 10) admit card or pass certificate, or a school certificate | Yes |
| Proof of residence | A copy of the electoral roll / EPIC (voter ID) of you or a parent, a Chitha / Jamabandi (land record) extract with an up-to-date revenue receipt, or a certified copy of the 1951 NRC entry for the family | Yes |
| Parent's or family member's PRC | If a parent already holds a PRC, a copy of it — it is the strongest proof and usually shortens the enquiry | If available |
| Educational certificates | Your latest mark sheet and pass certificate | Yes |
| Admission reference | The name of the institution or course the PRC is for — the certificate is issued against it | Yes |
| Recent passport-size photograph | A plain-background colour photo (some districts ask for two copies) | Yes |
| Gaon Burha / Ward Commissioner report | In some rural, urban and autonomous council areas where the family's own residence proof is thin — often waived where a parent already holds a PRC | If asked |
Every upload has a size limit, usually well under a megabyte per file. If a scan is too big, compress PDF brings it down; a photo over the limit is fixed with resize image. Both run in your browser — the document is never uploaded to us. Need a proper passport-size photo? The passport photo tool makes one with a plain background.
How to apply for a PRC online on Sewa Setu
Step 1: Create a Sewa Setu account
Go to sewasetu.assam.gov.in and choose Citizen login. It takes you to ePramaan (MeriPehchaan), the Government of India sign-in, where you register or log in with a working mobile number and an OTP. Every update on your application goes to your mobile and email, so use ones you check. Our Sewa Setu guide covers the login, tracking and appeals.
Step 2: Find the PRC service
Sign in, open the list of services, and select the Permanent Residence Certificate for Higher Education service. No computer of your own? A Public Facilitation Centre (PFC) or Common Service Centre (CSC) can apply for you for a small charge, listed below.
Step 3: Fill the application form
Enter your personal details, parentage, permanent address exactly as it appears on your residence proof, and the institution or course the PRC is for. Fields with a red asterisk are compulsory. The address decides which revenue circle handles the enquiry, so get it right.
Step 4: Upload the documents
Attach each document under its heading — age proof, residence proof, the parent's PRC if you have it, your mark sheet, and the photograph. Keep each file inside the size limit shown on the screen.
Step 5: Submit and note the application number
Review the draft carefully — a mistake is much harder to fix after submission — then submit. You get an acknowledgement with an application reference number. Save it; you track everything with it.
Step 6: Police and revenue verification
The application is forwarded to the Superintendent of Police and to the Circle Officer or Assistant Revenue Officer for your area, who verify the residence claim — from records, and sometimes with a visit or a call. Respond quickly if you are contacted; a slow reply here is the main thing that stretches the timeline.
Step 7: Download the certificate
Once the Deputy Commissioner approves the verification report, the PRC is issued with a digital signature and is available to download when you log in to your Sewa Setu account. You also get an SMS and an email. A digitally signed PDF with a QR code is valid as it is — you do not need it attested.
PRC fee and time limit in Assam
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Applying yourself online | ₹10 convenience fee. The service page lists no separate application fee |
| At a PFC or CSC | ₹30 service charge, ₹10 a page for printing and ₹5 a page for scanning, on top of the convenience fee |
| Time limit | 14 days, as stated on the PRC service page under the Assam Right to Public Services Act |
These are the charges the PRC service page on Sewa Setu lists as of 4 October 2026. Check the service page again before you pay, in case it has changed.
The 14-day limit is the shortest of the common certificates, but the police and revenue enquiry is what sets the real pace. If the limit passes without a decision, you can file a first appeal on Sewa Setu. Apply the moment an admission opens, not near the deadline. Count working days against the Assam government holiday list 2026.
Common reasons a PRC application is delayed or rejected
- Using a PRC for the wrong purpose. The educational PRC is not accepted for a job or for any admission other than the one it names. Do not apply for one expecting it to cover a recruitment.
- The address on the form does not match the residence proof. Copy it exactly — village, mouza, revenue circle, district.
- Thin residence evidence. A single document in your own name is weaker than a parent's PRC, a family land record or the 1951 NRC entry. Attach the strongest proof you have.
- Not responding to the verification officer. Keep your phone reachable after you apply.
- Blurred or oversized scans. Use the browser tools to get clean files inside the size limit.
After you get your PRC
Keep the digitally signed PDF safe and use it only for the admission it was issued for. For an Assam government job, work from your Employment Exchange registration and the certificates the notice actually lists — a caste certificate or an EWS certificate where you are claiming a reserved category.
With your documents in order, browse the latest Assam government job posts and admission notices, check your eligibility against the open posts, and use the official websites list to confirm the portal a notice names. Everything for finding and applying is on the Resources page.