What Is a Caste Certificate?

A caste certificate is an official document that confirms a person’s caste or community — Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), or More Other Backward Class (MOBC). In Assam, this certificate is issued under the Sewa Setu system, which is also known as RTPS Assam (Right to Public Services).

You need a caste certificate for:

• Government job applications under reserved categories
• Admission to colleges and universities under reservation quotas
• Government scholarships and schemes
• EWS, SC, ST, or OBC reservation benefits

Important: A caste certificate issued by Assam is valid for state-level benefits. For central government jobs and admissions, your community must also be listed in the central SC/ST/OBC list. Not every Assam community on the state list is automatically on the central list, so it is worth checking both lists for your community.

Who Can Apply for a Caste Certificate in Assam?

You can apply if:

• You belong to a community officially recognised as SC, ST, OBC, or MOBC in Assam
• You are a resident of Assam
• You need the certificate for a job, education, scholarship, or government scheme

Caste Certificate Assam: Documents Required

Keep these documents scanned and ready (PDF or JPEG, usually under 1 MB per file) before you apply:

Document Type	Details
ID Proof	Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, or PAN Card
Address Proof	Voter ID, Electricity Bill, Water Bill, or Ration Card
Family/Lineage Proof	Documents showing your family’s caste history, if asked
Existing Caste Certificate	A parent’s or family member’s earlier caste certificate, if available (optional but helpful)
Voter List Extract	Old voter list showing your family’s name and caste, if available (optional)
Affidavit	Self-declaration affidavit, if required for your case (optional)
Application Form	Scanned copy of the filled form (mandatory only if applying through a CSC/PFC)

e-District Assam and Sewa Setu: What’s the Difference?

Many people search for “e-District Assam“ when they actually need Sewa Setu, since both are connected:

• Sewa Setu (formerly RTPS Assam) is the main portal for services like caste certificates, income certificates, and residence certificates.
• e-District Assam is the broader e-governance platform that also links to many of these same services.
• You can apply for a caste certificate from either portal — they lead to the same government backend (ARTPS system).
• If you don’t want to apply yourself, you can visit a Common Service Centre (“Arunodoi Kendra”) or a Public Facilitation Centre (PFC) at your DC, SDO, or Circle Office, or attend a Sewa Setu camp in your area.

Sewa Setu Caste Certificate Status: How to Check

Once you apply, you can track your caste certificate status in Assam at any time:

1. Go to sewasetu.assam.gov.in.
2. Look for “Track Application Status” or “Track Status” on the homepage or menu.
3. Enter your Application Reference Number / Acknowledgement Number.
4. Enter your registered mobile number, if asked.
5. Click “Submit” to see your status: Submitted, Under Process, Approved, or Rejected.

Sewa Setu Caste Certificate Download: Step-by-Step

Once your application is approved, here is how to complete your caste certificate download in Assam PDF:

1. Log in to sewasetu.assam.gov.in with your registered account.
2. Go to your Dashboard or “My Applications.”
3. Find your caste certificate application using your Application Number.
4. Once the status shows “Approved,” click “Download Certificate.”
5. Your caste certificate download Assam PDF will be saved to your device. It comes as a digitally signed file with a QR code, so it is valid for official use without needing a separate stamp.
6. You will also get an SMS and email notification once the certificate is ready.

Note: Some applications are generated and made available for download through the ARTPS portal, which is linked to Sewa Setu — you will be notified where to collect or download your certificate.

Processing Time and Fees

Processing Time: As per the Assam RTPS Act, 2012, a caste certificate should be issued within 30 working days of submitting a complete application. If it is not issued within this time, you can appeal to a higher authority under the Act. In practice, applications with complete and correct documents are often processed faster.

Fees (when applying through CSC/PFC):

Charge Type	Amount
Service charge	Rs. 30
Printing charge (per page, if needed)	Rs. 10
Scanning charge (per page, if needed)	Rs. 5
User/Statutory charge	Rs. 30
Convenience fee	Rs. 10

If you apply directly online through Sewa Setu (without visiting a CSC/PFC), the cost is usually free or very low.

What If Your Application Is Rejected?

Common reasons for rejection include:

• Incomplete or unclear documents
• Mismatch between your details and official records
• Missing family/lineage proof for your caste claim
• Errors in the application form

If rejected, check the reason shown on the status page, correct the issue, and reapply with the right documents.