Certificate of Identity Issued by Gazetted Officer/Tehsildar

A certificate of identity is an official proof of an individual’s civil identity, recognising his or her personal details, such as name, address, and other relevant records. This proof can be used for multiple purposes, like immigration, passport, etc. Simply put, it can give its holder access to government schemes and facilities.

A civil authority accounts to issue it, which can be a gazette officer or Tehsildar in India. This is the case of villages. In urban regions, the Municipal Corporation and UIDAI are taking care of this facility.  

Who is a Tehsildar?

This is a government official in charge of revenue administration and land records. He accounts for issuing and managing these credentials in the tehsil or taluka in India. Besides documentation, this officer handles conflicts and disputes related to land and taxation, with the issuance of other significant papers to recognise caste, domicile, and income via certificates.

Who is a Gazetted Officer?

Like Tehsildar, a Gazetted Officer is a government servant from a higher rank. His/her name is published in the Gazette of India. Basically, these officers account to attest documents, verify identities, and issue certificates, typically working as part of central or state government departments, such as IAS officers, police inspectors, or doctors in government hospitals.

Benefits of the Certificate of Identity

• Identity Validation: This civil document is served as a proof of identity for people who do not have their Aadhaar card, passport, PAN card, etc. to prove their citizenship.   
• Easy Access for Marginalised Groups: In the far-located rural areas, where government facilities are hardly accessible, this certificate can help in fighting marginalisation.
• A Legal Document: Being a legal credential, it is accepted for various legal and administrative purposes. In other words, you can apply for government schemes, open bank accounts, and obtain a passport, etc.
• Supports Documentation: It can act as a legally valid substitute document when other formal documents are unavailable for various purposes. In certain educational and employment registrations, it is approved as legal proof.
• Widely Accepted: The dimension of its acceptance is scalable. Since the government authorities and institutions accept it, it acts as a legal civil document.

Process of Obtaining a Certificate of Identity from a Gazetted Officer/Tehsildar

If you don’t have an original birth certificate, which is a primary proof of one’s identity, the certificate of identity will support claiming your rights and government facilities. Here, let’s introduce you to how you can obtain it from a Gazetted officer or Tehsildar.

Step 1: Check eligibility criteria

·         The primary eligibility is that you should be a citizen of India.

·         The applicant should be from the place where nothing but the identity proof is available.

·         The applicant must have a concrete reason to obtain it.

Step 2: Required Documents

For non-resident Indians, including NRIs, OCIs, and PIOs, this list of documents from UIDAI can be helpful.

• Application form ( which will be available at the Tehsildar office (list of Tehsildars) or the respective gazetted officer’s office)
• Passport-sized photographs
• Any other supporting document that can be
• Indian Passport
• PAN Card/ePAN Card
• Ration/eRation Card
• Voter ID Card/eVoter ID Card
• Driving License
• Service Photo ID Card by Central/State Govt./PSU/Regulatory Bodies/ Statutory Bodies
• Pension Photo ID Card/Freedom Fighter Photo ID Card/Pension Payment Order by Central/State Govt./PSU/Regulatory Bodies/ Statutory Bodies
• Kisan Photo Passbook
• CGHS/ECHS/ESIC/Medi-Claim Card by Central/State Govt./PSU/Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana Card
• Disability Identity Card/Certificate of Disability Issued under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rule 2017
• Photograph Identity Card/Certificate with Photograph Issued by Central Govt./State Govt. like Bhamashah, Domicile Certificate, Resident Certificate, Jan-Aadhaar, MGNREGA/NREGS Job Card, Labour Card, etc.
• Marriage Certificate with/without Photograph Issued by Central/State Govt.
• ST/SC/OBC Certificate Issued by Central/State Govt.
• School Leaving Certificate/School Transfer Certificate
• Mark Sheet/Certificate Issued by Recognised Board of Education/University
• Scheduled Commercial Bank’s Passbook Having Name and Photograph
• Bank Account Statement, Credit Card Statement, or Post Office Savings Account Statement
• Transgender Identity Card/Certificate Issued the Transgender Persons Act, 2019

Step 3: Application Submission:

• Fill up the details requested in the form, which are typically related to name, father’s name, date of birth, address, and purpose to apply.
• Submit the duly filled form, enclosing the aforesaid documents to validate your residence and lineage, to the Gazetted Officer or Tehsildar.   

Step 4: Verification by Tehsildar/Gazetted Officer:

• The competent officer will go through the information you provided in the application form and cross-check with the original proofs.
• Not only documents, but an on-site visit can be organised to verify the authenticity of supporting documents.

Step 5. Issuance of Certificate

• Once the verification shows positive signs, the Tehsildar or Gazette Officer will issue this civil document.
• Thoroughly check if he has the signature of the Gazette officer or Tehsildar with his official seal.

Step 6: Timeframe:

• The processing can be according to the office workload. Typically, you can get it in days to weeks.

Usage of the Certificate of Identity

• Government Services: It can be enclosed with the application for certain government services or schemes, which require identity proof as a “must” document.
• Banking: Non-residents can leverage it to open bank accounts or access other financial services.
• Educational Institutions: Taking admission in schools and colleges, especially in the rural areas, will be effortless.
• Employment: For authenticating your identity, it can be enclosed, especially for government jobs or certain private sector roles.
• Legal Processes: Certain litigation-related cases may also require the certificate of identity if other documents are not available.

Conclusion

The certificate of identity is an authentic proof to prove an individual’s true name, address, and parental lineage. It is particularly helpful for those marginalised and NRI communities that face hardships and negligence in the absence of this document. With this document in hand, they can easily claim government jobs, schemes, and other facilities.