By shahrukh
6 min read
Uttarakhand Scheduled Tribe Certificate
Uttarakhand Scheduled Tribe Certificate

An ST Tribe Certificate, called Janjati Praman Patra in Uttarakhand, is the official document that proves your membership in a Scheduled Tribe community notified for Uttarakhand under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. The Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of your area issues this certificate. You need it to access ST reservation in government jobs, educational institutions, scholarships, tribal welfare schemes, and Forest Rights Act benefits.

You can apply online through the Apuni Sarkar Portal (eservices.uk.gov.in), which is the official Uttarakhand government platform for all citizen services. You can also apply through a Common Service Centre (CSC) or at the Tehsil office.

Scheduled Tribe Communities Notified for Uttarakhand

Only 5 communities are notified as Scheduled Tribes for Uttarakhand under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. Your community must appear in this list to be eligible:

  • Bhotia: Communities living in the high-altitude Himalayan border areas of Uttarakhand, primarily in Pithoragarh, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi districts. They include sub-groups like Shaukas, Marchhas, Tolchhas, and Joharis who traditionally lived along trans-Himalayan trade routes.
  • Buksa (also written as Bhoksa): Communities residing in the Tarai and Bhabar belt of Uttarakhand, primarily in Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital districts.
  • Jaunsari: Communities living in the Jaunsar-Bawar area of Dehradun district, covering the Chakrata and Kalsi tehsils. The Social Welfare Department issued a verification notification in December 2024 confirming Jaunsari's status as a Scheduled Tribe.
  • Raji: Also known as Van Rawat or Rajis, one of the smallest indigenous tribal communities of Uttarakhand. They live in the remote forested areas of Pithoragarh and Champawat districts.
  • Tharu: Communities living in the Tarai region along the Nepal border, primarily in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand.

Important: Only these 5 communities are notified as Scheduled Tribes for Uttarakhand. No other community is entitled to the ST certificate in the state. If your community is not in this list, you cannot apply for the Janjati Praman Patra in Uttarakhand.

Who Can Apply for Uttarakhand ST Certificate

  • You must be a permanent resident of Uttarakhand.
  • Your community must be one of the 5 notified Scheduled Tribes for Uttarakhand listed above.
  • Your father or ancestors must have originally belonged to the notified tribal community in Uttarakhand.
  • Unlike SC certificates, there is no religion restriction for ST certificates. Members of any religion belonging to the notified tribal communities are eligible.

Benefits of ST Certificate in Uttarakhand

  • Government job reservation: 4% reservation in Uttarakhand state government posts as per the Uttarakhand Public Services (Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes) Act, 2003.
  • Education reservation: Reserved seats in government colleges, universities, and professional institutions for ST candidates.
  • Fee concession: Partial or full fee waiver at government educational institutions.
  • Upper age relaxation: 5 years age relaxation in central and state government job applications.
  • Scholarships: Pre-matric and post-matric ST scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in).
  • Forest Rights Act: Individual and community forest rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 for eligible tribal communities.
  • Tribal welfare schemes: Access to schemes run by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Uttarakhand Tribal Welfare Department.
  • PVTG benefits: The Raji community is identified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). Members of the Raji community are eligible for additional special benefits under central PVTG welfare programmes.

Documents Required for Uttarakhand ST Certificate

  • Application form: Prescribed application form for Janjati Praman Patra, available at CSC centers, Tehsil office, or through the Apuni Sarkar portal.
  • Father's tribal certificate: Existing ST certificate of your father. If not available, a tribal certificate of any close blood relative (grandfather, uncle, or sibling) along with a genealogical affidavit clearly showing your blood relationship.
  • Self-declaration / Affidavit: A self-declaration on stamp paper stating that you belong to the notified Scheduled Tribe community in Uttarakhand.
  • Address proof (any one): Ration Card / Food Security Card, Voter ID, electricity bill, telephone bill.
  • Residence / Domicile Certificate: Uttarakhand Domicile or Residence Certificate confirming you are a permanent resident of the state.
  • Certificate from community or village head: A certificate from the Gram Pradhan, tribal leader, or ward member confirming your tribal community membership.
  • Passport size photograph: Recent passport size photograph. See passport size photo guidelines.
  • Aadhaar Card: Aadhaar card for identity verification.

For Raji (Van Rawat) community: As the Raji community is very small and scattered across remote forest areas of Pithoragarh and Champawat districts, if standard documents are not available, a certificate from the local Van Panchayat representative or forest department officer confirming tribal identity may be considered. Contact the District Tribal Welfare Office for guidance.

Application Fee and Processing Time

  • Application fee: Rs. 30 (service charge).
  • Processing time: 15 working days from the date of application submission.
  • Certificate validity: Lifetime. No renewal required once issued.
  • Issuing authority: Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the applicant's area.

How to Apply for Uttarakhand ST Certificate Online (Apuni Sarkar)

Apply through the official Apuni Sarkar portal (eservices.uk.gov.in):

Step 1: Register on Apuni Sarkar Portal

  1. Visit eservices.uk.gov.in.
  2. Click on Apuni Sarkar Portal on the homepage.
  3. Click on Personal Login, then click Sign up here.
  4. Fill in your Email ID, Gender, First Name, Last Name, Mobile Number, Date of Birth, District, Tehsil, Address, and preferred Language.
  5. Submit the form. Your User ID and Password will be sent to your registered mobile number by SMS.

Step 2: Apply for ST Certificate

  1. Log in to eservices.uk.gov.in using your User ID, Password, and Captcha.
  2. Click on Request New Application.
  3. Select Department as Revenue, then choose Tribe Certificate (ST) or Janjati Praman Patra.
  4. Fill the application form with your name, gender, parents' name, address, date of birth, tribal community name, and district/area details.
  5. Upload scanned copies of all required documents in PDF format. Each file must be under 100 KB per page.
  6. Pay the Rs. 30 application fee online.
  7. Click Submit. An application number will be generated. Save it for status tracking.

Step 3: Track and Download

  1. Log in to the portal and click Know Application Status to check your application at any time.
  2. SMS updates will be sent to your registered mobile number at each processing stage.
  3. Once the Tehsildar issues the certificate, log in and download the digitally signed Janjati Praman Patra directly from the portal.

How to Apply Through Common Service Centre (CSC)

  1. Carry all required documents (originals and photocopies) to the nearest CSC or Jan Seva Kendra.
  2. The CSC operator will submit your application through the Apuni Sarkar portal on your behalf.
  3. Pay Rs. 30 application fee plus any nominal CSC service charge.
  4. Collect the application number for status tracking.
  5. Return to the CSC to collect the printed or downloaded certificate once it is issued and you receive the approval SMS.

How to Check ST Certificate Application Status

  1. Visit eservices.uk.gov.in and log in.
  2. Click Know Application Status.
  3. Enter your application number to view the current status.

You will also receive automatic SMS updates at each stage of processing on your registered mobile number.

Helpline and Contact

  • Toll-Free Helpline: 1800-3000-2300
  • Official Portal: eservices.uk.gov.in
  • Social Welfare Department Helpline: 1800-180-4236
  • For community-specific queries or tribal welfare schemes, contact the District Tribal Welfare Officer in your district.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is officially called Janjati Praman Patra (Tribe Certificate) in Uttarakhand. The Tehsildar or SDM issues it as proof that the holder belongs to one of the 5 Scheduled Tribe communities notified for Uttarakhand.

Only 5 communities are notified as Scheduled Tribes for Uttarakhand: Bhotia, Buksa, Jaunsari, Raji, and Tharu. No other community is eligible for the ST certificate in Uttarakhand.

The official portal is eservices.uk.gov.in, the Apuni Sarkar portal of the Uttarakhand government. You can register as an individual and apply yourself, or apply through a CSC center using CSC Login.

The application fee is Rs. 30. CSC centers may charge a small additional service fee on top of this.

The Tehsildar processes and issues the certificate within 15 working days from the date of application. If a local verification or inquiry is needed, it may take additional time.

No. Unlike SC certificates which apply only to Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist communities, there is no religion restriction for Scheduled Tribe certificates. Members of the 5 notified tribal communities in Uttarakhand can get the ST certificate regardless of their religion.

Yes. Jaunsari is one of the 5 notified Scheduled Tribes for Uttarakhand. The Jaunsari community lives in the Jaunsar-Bawar area of Dehradun district covering Chakrata and Kalsi tehsils. The Social Welfare Department, Uttarakhand issued a verification notification in December 2024 confirming the Jaunsari community's status in the ST list.

The Raji community, also known as Van Rawat, is one of the smallest indigenous tribal communities of India and is officially identified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). They live in the remote forested areas of Pithoragarh and Champawat districts of Uttarakhand. Being a PVTG, Raji community members are eligible for additional special benefits under central tribal welfare programmes beyond the standard ST benefits.

Yes. If you are a permanent resident of Uttarakhand and belong to a notified tribal community, you can apply for the ST certificate regardless of which district you currently live in. You need to provide a valid Uttarakhand domicile or residence certificate showing your permanent address in the state.

Yes. The Janjati Praman Patra issued by the Tehsildar of Uttarakhand is accepted for ST reservation in central government jobs, central universities, and central government schemes. No separate central certificate is needed.

You can submit the tribal certificate of any close blood relative such as a grandfather, uncle, or sibling along with a genealogical affidavit prepared on stamp paper. The affidavit must clearly establish your blood relationship with the certificate holder. The Tehsildar may conduct a local verification in such cases.

No. Once issued, the Janjati Praman Patra is valid for a lifetime. However, some government job notifications or institutions specify that the certificate should have been issued within a certain recent period. Always check the specific notification requirements before applying.

Yes. The Janjati Praman Patra issued by the Uttarakhand Tehsildar is accepted for Pre-Matric and Post-Matric ST Scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in). You need to upload a clear scanned copy at the time of scholarship application. The scholarship helpline at socialwelfare.uk.gov.in is 1800-180-4236.

Add new comment

About text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.