Puducherry ST Certificate: Documents, Eligibility & Application Guide

ST Community Notified for Puducherry

The Constitution (Puducherry) Scheduled Tribes Order, 2016, recognises only one community as a Scheduled Tribe for the Union Territory:

• Irular (including Villi and Vettaikaran)

Villi and Vettaikaran are sub-groups explicitly included under the Irular entry in the 2016 Presidential Order. Therefore, eligible members of these sub-groups also fall within the notified Scheduled Tribe category for Puducherry.

Irular is the first and only community notified as a Scheduled Tribe for the Union Territory. Before the 2016 Order came into effect, Puducherry had no officially notified ST community. This notification formally recognised the Irular community under the constitutional framework governing Scheduled Tribes.

Eligibility for ST Community Certificate in Puducherry

Applicants must establish their membership in the notified Irular community and satisfy the applicable residence conditions. The main eligibility requirements are:

• The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
• The applicant must belong to the Irular community, including the Villi or Vettaikaran sub-groups, notified under the Constitution (Puducherry) Scheduled Tribes Order, 2016.
• The applicant must be an ordinary resident of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
• The applicant or their forefather must satisfy the applicable ordinary residence condition for claiming ST status.
• The applicant must provide documentary evidence establishing their family's membership in the Irular community.

The Revenue Department examines the applicant's community background and residential records before issuing the certificate. Applicants should provide supporting family documents wherever available to help establish their claim.

Documents Required for ST Community Certificate in Puducherry

Applicants must submit supporting documents to establish their identity, family background, community membership and residence in Puducherry. The following documents are included in the application checklist:

• Self-attested Birth Certificate of the applicant
• Self-attested Birth Certificates of the applicant's father and grandfather
• Transfer Certificate, Study Certificate or School Identity Card of the applicant
• Old and current Voter Identity Cards (EPIC) of the applicant's parents and grandparents
• Marriage invitation and Marriage Certificate of the applicant's parents
• Self-attested Ration Card
• School records, including the Transfer Certificate
• Previous ST Certificates of the applicant or blood relatives, if available
• Residence proof establishing that the applicant or their family is an ordinary resident of Puducherry
• Any available document supporting membership in the Irular community
• Self-attested Aadhaar Card of the applicant
• Recent passport-size photograph of the applicant

Keep the original documents ready for verification at the concerned Tahsildar's office. If you apply online, upload scanned copies of the supporting documents. Each uploaded file must not exceed 2 MB.

How to Apply for an ST Community Certificate Online in Puducherry

The Government of Puducherry provides an online application facility through its e-District portal. Eligible applicants can submit their ST Community Certificate applications under the Revenue Department using the following steps:

1. Visit the official Puducherry e-District portal.
2. Register a new user account using the required details or log in with your existing credentials.
3. After logging in, open the Services and Forms section and select the Revenue Department.
4. Find the Community Certificate or Caste Certificate service in the available list and select the relevant application link under the Action column.
5. Complete the online form with your personal details, community name (Irular), applicable sub-group (Villi or Vettaikaran) and residential history in Puducherry.
6. Upload scanned, self-attested copies of all required documents. Make sure that each file is below 2 MB.
7. Review the information and submit the completed application.
8. Save the acknowledgement number generated after submission. You will need this number to track your application.
9. Visit the e-District portal again and use the acknowledgement number to check the application status.
10. After the application is processed, visit the concerned Tahsildar's office with your original documents to complete verification and collect the certificate, as required.

How to Apply Offline at the Tahsildar Office

Applicants who prefer to submit their forms in person can visit the jurisdictional Taluk Tahsildar or Sub-Taluk Deputy Tahsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate's office.

Follow these steps to apply offline:

1. Visit the Tahsildar's office responsible for your residential area in Puducherry.
2. Obtain the Community Certificate application form from the office. You can also download the prescribed form through the Puducherry e-District portal.
3. Fill in the application form with your personal information, Irular community details and residential particulars.
4. Attach self-attested copies of the required documents, including Birth Certificates, Ration Card, school records, Voter Identity Cards of parents and grandparents, and residence proof.
5. Carry all original documents for verification by the concerned officials.
6. Submit the completed application and supporting documents at the designated counter.
7. The Tahsildar or Deputy Tahsildar will examine the application and supporting records.
8. If the application is complete and the eligibility conditions are satisfied, the authority processes the certificate within the prescribed time. If the application is incomplete or does not meet the requirements, the authority communicates the reasons for rejection.

Processing Time and Validity of ST Community Certificate in Puducherry

The concerned Tahsildar or Deputy Tahsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate issues the ST Community Certificate within 60 working days from the date of application, provided the applicant submits all required documents and the application is complete.

The ST Community Certificate issued in Puducherry carries lifetime validity. Applicants do not need to renew it periodically, unless a change in circumstances affects their eligibility under the Constitution (Puducherry) Scheduled Tribes Order, 2016.

How to Track Your ST Community Certificate Application

After submitting your application, you can check its progress through the Puducherry e-District portal. Keep your acknowledgement number safe because you will need it to access the application status.

Follow these steps:

1. Visit the Puducherry e-District portal.
2. Open the Track Application section.
3. Enter your unique acknowledgement number.
4. Submit the details to view the current application status.

You can also use the direct certificate tracking page:

Track Community Certificate on Puducherry e-District

Why Was the Irular Community Recognised as an ST in Puducherry in 2016?

Before 22 December 2016, Puducherry did not have any community notified as a Scheduled Tribe under the Constitution. Although the Irular community had lived in the region for generations, it did not have formal ST recognition under the applicable Presidential Order.

The Government of India addressed this through the Constitution (Puducherry) Scheduled Tribes Order, 2016 (C.O. 268). The Order received Presidential assent and was published in the Gazette of India on 22 December 2016, formally recognising Irular, including Villi and Vettaikaran, as the Scheduled Tribe for Puducherry.

This recognition brought eligible members of the community within the constitutional framework for Scheduled Tribe reservation and welfare measures. It opened access to applicable reservation benefits in Central Government employment, educational institutions, scholarships and other schemes intended for Scheduled Tribe communities.

The recognition is governed by Article 342 of the Constitution, which provides the constitutional process for specifying Scheduled Tribes for different states and Union Territories.