A caste certificate in India is an official document issued by the government to confirm a person's caste or community. It's used for various purposes like education, employment, and government benefits. This certificate provides evidence of a person's belonging to a particular caste or tribe recognized by the government. To obtain a caste certificate, one usually needs to provide proof of their caste, such as their family's caste certificate or other relevant documents. It's important in India because caste plays a significant role in social, economic, and political life, and the certificate ensures access to reserved seats and benefits intended for specific castes.

Reasons To Change Name In Caste Certificate

There could be several reasons why someone might want to change their name on their caste certificate. Here are a few common reasons:

Correction of Errors: Sometimes, errors can occur during the initial issuance of the certificate.

Change in Name: Individuals may change their name due to various reasons such as marriage, conversion to another religion, personal preference, or any legal process like changing name through gazette notification.

Inclusion of Surname: In many instances, individuals might not have had a surname mentioned earlier, but they may choose to include it later for various personal or administrative reasons.

Inclusion of Maternal Caste: In some cases, individuals might belong to a different caste through their maternal lineage and may want to reflect that in their caste certificate.

Migration: People might move from one state to another where caste certificates are issued differently or recognized differently.

Access to Benefits: Certain government schemes and benefits are linked to caste certificates.

Social Identity: Sometimes, individuals might want their caste certificate to reflect their social identity accurately for personal or societal reasons.

Documents Needed to Change Your Name in the Gazette for Adults and Minors

Documents Needed for Adults:

• Identification: Passport, Driver's License, Aadhar Card, Voter's ID, or PAN Card
• Ration Card
• Proof of Address: Aadhar Card, Electricity Bill, or Ration Card
• Photo: One passport-sized photo
• Application Form: Fill out and sign the application form with your old and new names, address, contact details, and the reason for the name change./li>

Documents Needed for Changing a Minor's Name in the Gazette:

For Minors Under 18 Years (Required Documents):

• ID Proof: Aadhar card or School ID
• Address Proof:Aadhar Card
• Age Proof: Birth Certificate
• Photo:One passport-sized photo
• Application Form: Signed by the minor if possible, along with their parents or guardians.

Procedure

STEP 1: Name Change Affidavit

To change your name, start by creating an affidavit at your local notary, which is a shop nearby. In the affidavit, include your old name, your new name, and the reason for changing your name. Also, provide details like your husband's/father's name, address, and proof of age.

STEP 2: Newspaper Publication

After completing the first two steps of the name change procedure, you need to publish an advertisement in two local newspapers—one in the regional language (Hindi) and another in English.

Here are some important points to include in the newspaper advertisement for name change:

• New name of the applicant
• Old name of the applicant
• Full address of the applicant
• Age of the applicant
• Date on which the affidavit was made by the applicant
• Father’s/husband’s name of the applicant
• Notary name who attested the affidavit

Before placing the advertisement in the newspaper, double-check all the content to ensure that all the mentioned points are correct and proper. Even a minor mistake can disrupt the entire procedure.

STEP 3: Publication of Name Change in Official Gazette of India

To do this, you need to publish a notification in the Gazette of India by submitting an application along with a demand draft fee and the required documents.

You'll need to prepare and send the following documents to the Department of Publication for Change of Name:

• Name Change Affidavit duly notarized (hard copy)
• Newspaper publication (hard copy)