Uttarakhand EWS Certificate: Apuni Sarkar, Lekhpal Verification & Apply Process

The EWS Certificate in Uttarakhand is officially called the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Certificate or Arthik Roop Se Kamjor Varg Praman Patra. It is issued by the Revenue Department, Government of Uttarakhand, through the Tehsildar of the applicant's tehsil. Applications are processed through the e-Services Apuni Sarkar portal at eservices.uk.gov.in, which is the official Uttarakhand government citizen services platform.

With this certificate, eligible general category residents of Uttarakhand can claim 10% reservation in central and state government jobs, UKPSC (Uttarakhand Public Service Commission) exams, UKSSSC (Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission) recruitments, IITs, NITs, central universities, NEET All India Quota seats, and various state welfare schemes. The Apuni Sarkar portal helpline email is [email protected].

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for an EWS certificate in Uttarakhand, all of the following conditions must be satisfied:

• You must be a permanent resident of Uttarakhand and belong to the general (unreserved) category. You must not belong to SC, ST, or OBC categories
• Your family's gross annual income from all sources must be below Rs. 8 lakh for the financial year preceding the year of application. Income includes salary, agriculture, business, profession, rent, and any other source
• Your family must not own 5 acres of agricultural land or more
• Your family must not own a residential flat of 1,000 sq ft or more
• Your family must not own a residential plot of 100 sq yards or more in a notified municipality
• Your family must not own a residential plot of 200 sq yards or more outside notified municipalities

All four asset conditions must be satisfied alongside the income condition. Income is always calculated on a gross basis. "Family" includes the applicant, parents, spouse, children below 18 years, and unmarried siblings below 18 years.

Lekhpal: Uttarakhand's Field Verification Officer

In Uttarakhand, the village-level revenue officer is called the Lekhpal, not the Patwari as in many other states. The Lekhpal maintains land records including Khatauni and Khasra at the village level, conducts field verification for revenue applications, and submits reports to the Tehsildar. When you submit an EWS application, the Tehsildar forwards it to the Lekhpal for field verification of income, land holdings, and residential details. The Lekhpal's verification report is a critical step before the Tehsildar can issue the certificate.

Documents Required

Keep the following documents ready before applying. All files must be in PDF or JPG format and clearly legible for upload on the portal:

• Aadhaar Card of the applicant
• Passport-size photograph of the applicant (mandatory upload, 20 to 50 KB in JPG format)
• Income proof: Salary certificate from employer for salaried persons; Income Tax Returns; or a self-declaration of income for farmers and self-employed persons
• Khatauni (Record of Rights): Uttarakhand's land ownership record maintained by the Lekhpal. It shows the owner's name, Khasra number, and area of agricultural and residential land. Download your Khatauni from the Uttarakhand Bhulekh portal at bhulekh.uk.gov.in. If no agricultural land is owned, submit a self-declaration
• Khasra (land record): Plot-wise land record showing survey numbers and area. Also available from bhulekh.uk.gov.in
• Property documents: Property tax receipt or registered deed showing area of any residential property owned by family members. If no property is owned, include this in the self-declaration
• Residence proof: Domicile Certificate, Ration Card, or Aadhaar Card showing Uttarakhand address
• Parivar Register nakal (family register extract from Gram Panchayat, certified by the Gram Pradhan): Useful supporting document for rural applicants to establish residence and family composition
• PAN Card of the applicant and earning family members
• Self-declaration affidavit stating total family income from all sources is below Rs. 8 lakh and that all asset limits are within prescribed thresholds

Method 1: Apply Online Through Apuni Sarkar Portal

1. Go to eservices.uk.gov.in
2. Click Sign Up Here on the homepage if you are a new user. Fill in the User Registration Form with your full name, email ID, mobile number, date of birth, and gender. Click Submit. The portal sends a PIN to your registered mobile number
3. Click Login on the homepage. Enter your User ID (email or mobile number) and the received PIN as the password. Click Login
4. After logging in, click on the Services tab at the top of the dashboard
5. Select Revenue Department from the list of departments
6. Scroll down and click on Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Certificate
7. A service page opens showing the list of required documents and an Apply Now button. Click Apply Now
8. The application form opens. Enter your mobile number and verify it through OTP authentication. An OTP is sent to your mobile. Enter the OTP to proceed
9. Fill in the application form with personal details: name, father's name, address, district, tehsil, village or ward
10. Fill in income details: enter gross income from all sources separately for all family members. Enter total annual family income
11. Fill in asset details: agricultural land owned in acres and residential property details
12. Upload your passport-size photograph (JPG, 20 to 50 KB) and all required documents
13. Pay the fee of Rs. 30 online through the available payment options on the portal
14. Submit the application. An Application Number is generated. Save this number. An SMS is sent to your registered mobile
15. The application is forwarded to the Tehsildar. The Tehsildar assigns it to the Lekhpal for field verification. The Lekhpal visits your address to verify residence, income sources, and land records
16. After the Lekhpal submits the verification report, the Tehsildar approves and digitally signs the certificate
17. Once approved, go to the Apuni Sarkar portal and click Download Certificates. Enter your mobile number, verify the OTP, and download your EWS certificate in PDF format

Method 2: Apply Through a CSC (Common Service Centre)

1. Locate your nearest CSC centre. CSCs are present across all 13 districts of Uttarakhand at block and panchayat levels. Multiple official district websites (including Bageshwar, Udham Singh Nagar) confirm CSCs use the Apuni Sarkar portal at eservices.uk.gov.in
2. Carry your Aadhaar card, income proof, Khatauni (if land is owned), property documents (if applicable), and passport-size photograph
3. Tell the CSC operator you need the EWS certificate (Arthik Roop Se Kamjor Varg Praman Patra)
4. The operator logs into the Apuni Sarkar portal and fills the application form on your behalf
5. Documents are scanned and uploaded. Your photograph is uploaded
6. Pay the government fee of Rs. 30 plus the CSC operator's service charge. Confirm the total charge at the centre before submission
7. Collect the printed acknowledgement with your Application Number. Keep this for tracking and downloading the certificate after approval
8. SMS updates are sent to your registered mobile as the application moves through Lekhpal verification and Tehsildar approval stages
9. Once approved, return to the CSC for a printed certificate copy or download from the portal using your mobile number and OTP

Method 3: Apply Offline at the Tehsil or SDM Office

1. Visit your nearest Tehsil office (Tehsildar's office). For sub-divisional level, visit the SDM office
2. Obtain the EWS certificate application form from the revenue counter at the Tehsil office
3. Fill in all details including your name, address, family income from each source for all family members, and land and property details
4. Attach self-attested photocopies of all required documents: Aadhaar card, income proof, Khatauni (if applicable), property documents (if applicable), Parivar Register nakal, and passport-size photograph
5. Submit the completed form at the receiving counter. Provide your mobile number for SMS alerts
6. The Tehsil office staff registers the application in the portal and issues an acknowledgement receipt with an Application Number
7. The Tehsildar assigns the application to the Lekhpal of the applicant's village or area for field verification
8. The Lekhpal visits the applicant's address, verifies land holdings through Khatauni and Khasra records, checks income sources, and submits a field verification report to the Tehsildar
9. The Tehsildar reviews the Lekhpal's report and all submitted documents, then approves the certificate
10. Download the approved certificate from the Apuni Sarkar portal using your Application Number and mobile OTP, or collect it from the Tehsil office

Application Fee

The fee for the EWS certificate on the Apuni Sarkar portal is Rs. 30. This is paid online during the application. If applying through a CSC, the operator charges a service fee over and above the Rs. 30 government fee. Confirm the total at the CSC before submitting. For offline Tehsil applications, check the applicable fee at the counter.

Processing Time

The EWS certificate in Uttarakhand is typically issued within 15 working days of application submission. This timeline covers the Lekhpal's field verification and the Tehsildar's review. Applications with complete and consistent documents where the Lekhpal's visit is completed promptly are processed within 10 to 15 working days. If you do not receive an SMS notification within 15 working days, visit the Tehsil office with your Application Number to follow up with the revenue staff.

Validity of the EWS Certificate in Uttarakhand

The EWS certificate is valid for one financial year (April 1 to March 31). It must be renewed every year by applying fresh with updated income documents for the previous financial year. For UKPSC and UKSSSC exam document verification, check the specific notification for validity requirements. For NEET All India Quota counselling in June or July, apply for a fresh certificate after April 1 of that year. For NEET state quota counselling in Uttarakhand, the certificate must be issued by an Uttarakhand authority.

How to Track Application Status

1. Go to eservices.uk.gov.in
2. Click Know Application Status on the homepage
3. Enter your Application Number and click Search
4. The current status of your application is displayed showing whether it is pending at Lekhpal, pending at Tehsildar, approved, or rejected

You can also log in to the portal and check the status from your application history on the dashboard.

How to Download the Certificate

1. Go to eservices.uk.gov.in
2. Click Download Certificates on the homepage
3. Enter your registered mobile number and click Send OTP
4. Enter the OTP received on your mobile and click Verify
5. A list of all certificates applied through your mobile number appears. Select the EWS certificate you want to download
6. Click Download to save the digitally signed PDF certificate

Downloading through mobile OTP verification means you can download your certificate without logging in, as long as you have access to your registered mobile number.