What is a Caste Certificate?

The Indian Constitution prescribes the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the article 341 and 342 respectively. These statutory lists were inscribed for the very first time in the constitution under the Constitution Order of 1950 for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The caste certificate is an authentic stamp that recognizes these special classes of the society. In addition, it gives them the opportunity to avail the privileges that the Indian government provides them.   

With the passing years, the governments have modified, updated, and supplemented these lists according to the demand of the citizens. A caste certificate is a document that the government gives to an individual who belongs to a particular caste or tribe. Therefore, every Indian state follows the prescribed rules for providing this certificate to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes in their state. 

The sections in this article will be talking about the procedure to apply for a caste certificate in Mohali, Punjab. As a result, you can find details about the documents required to complete the process, the time taken to process the application, and the fees of application.      

Why do we need a Caste Certificate? 

The Indian system of Protective Discrimination presents a specific range of benefits for the citizens belonging to these special categories. Without the possession of a caste certificate, you have no benefits. In addition, you will not be allowed to make use of the privileges that the government provides to your caste or tribe. On showing the caste certificate as an identity proof, you can enrol in colleges and schools, apply for government jobs, and get special financial and economic benefits. 

If you belong to one of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, you can avail government benefits as mentioned in the list below.  

• A certain number of reserved seats in the Governmental job posts and Legislature.
• Reserved seats in Government and private colleges.
• The opportunity to appear for certain government exams with special upper age limits.
• Special cut-off marks for multiple national-level examinations. 
• Scholarships in different streams of education. 
• Benefits in Pension schemes provided by the state or central government. 
• Reservations in Indian Railways for travel tickets. 

You can also get special discounts on college and school fees according to the regulations laid by the Indian government. In order to avail these benefits, it is rudimentary to apply for a Caste Certificate in your state of residence. 

The state government of Punjab and the Legislative Assembly have created the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporations. The aim of these institutions is to enhance the quality of life of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the state. Therefore, they design different schemes and policies for these special classes and implement them across the state. Their team ensures that the financial aids are distributed to the deserving citizens across the state.  

Eligibility Conditions  

The government only provides the caste certificates to the Indian citizens who satisfy the cases mentioned in the list below. 

• The applicant is an Indian citizen. 
• A person applying for the caste certificate should be the permanent resident of Punjab state i.e. the person must have the proof of his residence in the state for the last 5 years. 

Procedure for obtaining a Caste Certificate

• Offline 

For offline application, follow the steps as mentioned in the list below. 

• Visit your nearest Revenue, Tehsil, Circle, or the concerning office of the department of welfare for Backward Classes in your area. 
• If you personally cannot visit the office, write an application on a plain A4 size paper and sign it (or put your thumb impression). When you (or someone on your behalf) visits the respective office, ask for the Caste Certificate application form. 
• Write the details as mentioned on the application. Once the form is complete, attach the required documents and submit it to the concerning officer in the office. 
• The authorities will verify your application with the submitted documents and send your Duly Stamped Caste Certificate to your mentioned address with the time frame.   
• Online 
  • Visit the online portal of the Government of Punjab to apply for your Certificate. 
  • If you’re visiting for the first time, click on ‘New User’ to make your account. 
  • Enter the details and click on the ‘Fresh Application’ on the webpage. 
  • Click on ‘Apply’ button that you see right next to the Service option. (For already registered users) 
  • (For new application) Select Alternative 2 which is the Online Application Form link. Fill the form and click on Submit. 
  • Once the application is complete, click on ‘View Saved Application’ and upload the required and supporting documents.     

The application fees for obtaining a Caste Certificate from your nearest Suwidha Centre is Rs. 30. Apart from this, the government charges Rs. 10 as Court Fee Stamp to validate your document. 

Office Locations 100

Documents Required 

Along with the application for Caste Certificate, an individual must furnish the documents mentioned in the list below. 

• Application form for the Caste Certificate 
• Ration Card 
• Any proof of residence (Electricity bill, Rent agreement, etc.)
• A copy of the Verification Leaf that is issued by your local Municipal Councillor, Sarpanch, or Subedaar)  
• Birth Certificate, school or college leaving certificate (Age proof Documents)
• A Self Declaration Form 
• A scanned copy of your passport size photograph
• Caste Certificate of the applicant’s parents or grandparents (if available)
• A copy of School Leaving Certificate or Transfer Certificate 

The validity of the Caste Certificate

The Caste Certificate is valid for an entire lifetime fo the individual. In case if it is not, the period of validity will be mentioned on the certificate. If it isn’t mentioned on yours, your caste certificate will be valid for your lifetime. 

How long does it take to receive the Caste Certificate

Once you have successfully applied for the Caste Certificate online, the government delivers the caste certificate to your address within 7 working days. In case of offline applications, the processing is usually done within 1 working day. If it doesn’t happen during that time frame, the authorities will inform you about the time frame. 

Next Read : eProcurement Punjab – How does it Work?

The leading organizations and governments in the world are opting for electronic methods. Just to ease the process of exchanging goods and services. If you are a vendor for an organization, it would be better for you to register yourself online. After that, you can send the required documents online instead of personally visiting the office. In Punjab, the government registers and displays the list of tenders and the additional details through eProcurement Punjab. The digitalization of the process allows the vendors to register themselves on the organization’s portal. After that, they can send the required documents, view the latest announcements by the organization, and cancel their tender.

However, working with the portal can be difficult for the first time users. The following section of this article helps you learn better about eProcurement Punjab. You’ll also learn in detail about the process and components of the portal. This will ultimately smoothen the process of registration or browsing the portal for you.     

What is eProcurement Punjab? 

Electronic Procurement (e-Procurement) is a digital portal under the operation of the Government of Punjab. Through this portal, the details of the registered vendors along with their detailed information is publically available. Transparency is the key to successful democratic governance. Therefore, the registration of the tenders is only done through the online process.  

How was it started? 

The manual process of Procurement was in function for a very long time. There were multiple cases in the past where the details of the tenders were misplaced. Also, they were incorrectly recorded, or not available for public display. Thus, the introduction of this digital eProcurement Punjab portal was a game-changer. 

The management of the supply chain is a mandatory task. This is because the supply chain consists of the details about the services and the products exchanged by the government. Just like any other business, the government hires multiple companies and individuals for different jobs. Thus, the Procurement system enters and displays the payment done for the consignment, date of registering, expected date of completion, and status of the project. This increases the efficiency of the process due to entry of the important information. With the digitalization of the process, suspicious activities find no room. The ease of accessibility of the eProcurement Punjab website allows the boards, agencies, and other establishments like the corporations to get the complete details of their tenders.         

What are the components of eProcurement in Punjab?

The eProcurement portal consists of titbits that are responsible for the functionality of the website. For a first time user, understanding the components and their location on the portal would be a relatively difficult task. Consequently, the list of components of the eProcurement Punjab portal creates a room of understanding for the first time users.

Bid Submission 

The portal has a dedicated section for the registration of the first time bidders. In addition to that, the login section is for the existing vendors. For detailed information on the process of online bidding, click on the ‘Bidders Manual Kit’. This button is on the bottom right section of the eProcurement Punjab portal’s homepage. Once the bidder is confident about the process, he should register himself on the portal. During the registration process, it is mandatory to submit the bid for the proposal. Along with that, the vendor must submit the details of his technical and commercial expertise.       

Bid Evaluation

The system automatically evaluates the bid, after the vendor places it. After this, the government studies the vendors and their proposals. Once the system shortlists the vendors, it invites them to the electronic auction (e-Auction). 

Electronic Auction 

The government organizes the Electronic Auction (e-Auction) process for the shortlisted members. These are the members who are trying to obtain certain services or goods from the government. Depending on the type of service or the product, the portal has the capacity to conduct various digitalized auctions. 

Indent Management 

The indent management process is the foundation of the process of online tendering. With the help of this, the portal creates a specific requisition. This requisition is then open for the vendors to register and bid. 

Creation of an all-inclusive Request For 

There are various subsections that deal with the Request for different services and products. These requests are made by the vendors who need to demand or ask from the government. People abbreviate this as RFX (Request for Something). In this process, the government formulates the Request for Bid, Quotes, Proposals, and Information. Along with this, the portal designs the technical and commercial requirements for the particular tender.  

Selection of the Vendor 

Once the e-Auction process is over, the government decides on the appropriate bids. Based on the requirements, they select one or more than one vendor for a particular product or service. Once the online portal submits the Purchase Order to the selected vendors, the process of eProcurement ends.  

Announcements

The government updates the latest announcements about the changes in the process or the new tenders in this section. It displays the helpline for GePNIC users. Along with this, it provides important information about the online payment dates, along with the other critical notifications.   

Corrigendum 

According to the Right to Information Act, the Corrigendum displays the documents of the latest tenders that the government issues. The Corrigendum mentions the date of the Tender Opening, Bid Closing, e-Publishing, and the Tender ID. Along with that, it mentions the name of the government organization, board, or directorate that issued the tender. 

Tender Status 

The eProcurement Punjab portal has three different criteria for searching the details of the tender. You can search for the tender based on its ID, type, or the organization details.     

What are the benefits of eProcurement Punjab? 

• The major benefit of eProcurement is the automation of the manual process. In this way, the speed of the procurement process increases significantly. 
• Complete transparency.
• The increase in market scope for prospective buyers and suppliers. 
• Usually, in the manual procurement process, the handling of authorities compromises the data. However, the eProcurement process avoids this mishap from happening.
• It is a cost-effective measure for executing the Procurement process.     

Also read about DC Office Mohali – Latest Address & Timings.

Basic to advanced, every grievance is equal in the office of the Deputy Commissioner. In Mohali, when the need for licencing, registering or certifying arises, the local office of Deputy Commissioner gets the job done in the provided estimate of time. It has been observed in recent days that many people find it difficult to locate the latest address of the DC Office Mohali. Scroll down to learn more about the services that the DC office provides for the people residing in SAS Nagar and Mohali region.   

Latest Address of DC Office Mohali 

District Administrative Complex

Source : DC Mohali Facebook

SH 12A, Sector 76,

SAS Nagar, 

Punjab. 

Pincode: 160071. 

Working hours: Monday to Friday – 9 am to 5 pm. 

For contacting the respective authorities, kindly find the contact numbers below. 

DC Office Mohali  

The Deputy Commissioner in any region of India is the administrative head of the jurisdiction. The government assigns the responsibility of an administrative sub-unit of a state in India to a person of the Indian Administrative Service cadre. Consequently, this authority of being the Deputy Commissioner of an administrative sub-unit in Punjab is a big responsibility which is subdivided into many branches. 

Also read about the Minimum Wages Act in Punjab.

The major responsibilities of a Deputy Commissioner are listed below.  

Maintaining the law and order in the region.

A Deputy Commissioner has varying jobs despite holding one office. He acts as a District Magistrate to ensure the proper law and order in his jurisdiction. Apart from this, he also works as a Collector to collect land revenues. Also, the concerns of the people living in the district under his control are resolved by DC.  

Conveying the problems, requests, and needs of the public to the government. 

The Deputy Commissioner acts as a bridge between the locals and the government. At first, his responsibility is to implement the working of the newly made government policies at the elemental level in society. After the implementation level begins, his job is to collect feedback from the locals about the policies. These feedbacks are in the form of requests, grievances, needs, problems, and rights of the local citizens. Finally, DC communicates these problems to the State government effectively.      

Ensuring the implementation of government schemes.

At the district level, the Deputy Commissioner is the main government in charge. With the help of other departments that work under him, his main job is to implement the government schemes in his district. In addition to that, he ensures that every eligible citizen under his jurisdiction gets the benefit of the schemes.  

Coordinate between the State and Central government. 

With regards to the policies and their implementation, the DC Office Mohali ensures the link between the state and the central government. This is because the state government releases certain schemes, while the state government does the others. The DC of Mohali spreads the awareness about these schemes through his office and implements them for the benefit of the citizens in his district. 

Manage the working of every department at the district level.

The Deputy Commissioner is the sole lead of the government workers in a district. He directly reports to the Commissioner of the state about the important matters of concern. However, at the district level, the DC is the executive and administrative head of every other department. The other administrative officers in the district work under the leadership of DC. Consequently, he coordinates the responsibilities between the Police and Security forces. 

Collect land revenues. 

The Deputy Commissioner also works as the District Collector of Mohali. In addition to the other mainstream responsibilities, his job is to collect land revenues. These revenues are forwarded to the government that uses the money to implement the other beneficial schemes for the citizens.  

Authorize the entrances in the government lands. 

The DC Office in Mohali has the complete authority of handling the entrance of the officials on the government properties. This is because, the government makes the DC of Mohali, a custodian of the government lands in his district. Every individual who seeks entry inside the government property for work purposes needs to have a permit signed by the DC of Mohali from his office.   

Dealing with the natural calamities in the region.

Earthquakes are one of the major natural calamities that the region of Mohali faces. It is the responsibility of the Deputy Commissioner to coordinate with the paramedics, Disaster Relief forces, and police during the time of such crisis. In addition to this, the DC office Mohali leaves no stone unturned in helping the families affected by other natural disasters like floods, locusts, etc.   

Manage the registration of deeds and supervise the process. 

Punjab is known for its agriculture business. To run it effectively, the lands owned by individuals or families have to be registered with the government. The process of Deeds registration allows the details of a particular land under the register of the government. This proves useful during the transfer of land ownership. 

Function as the Licensing officer under the Cinematograph Act.

The Cinematograph Act requires the permission of the District Magistrate (aka Deputy Commissioner) for filming in the district that comes under his jurisdiction.  Thus, DC also works as a licensing officer.

As per the Special Marriage Act, 1954, function as a Marriage Officer.  

The Deputy Commissioner has the authority to conduct marriages of the citizens residing under his jurisdiction.   

DC Girish Dayalan 

Source : Girish Dayalan Twitter

Girish Dayalan is the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Punjab 2011 batch. Since 2011, he has been serving as the Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister in the state of Punjab. His stellar background in Economics which was his major for Bachelors and Public Administration for Masters helps him in the smooth administration of the area under his jurisdiction. In June 2019, the government appointed him as the Deputy Commissioner of the SAS Nagar District. A kid had recently fallen under a bore pit, after which he was appointed as the DC of the region. Immediately after joining, his first instruction was to fill every bore pit in the SAS nagar district in order to avoid any future mishaps.