Page 187 - CURAJ Information Handbook for SC ST Cell

Timely verification of Caste/Community Certificates - regarding

I am directed to say that instances have come to the notice where the pensionary
benefits of employees belonging to ST category, who were working in various offices and
organizations under Central Government in the State of Tamil Nadu, have been withheld on the
ground that their caste verification is pending from the State Government. The Parliamentary
Standing Committee on the Welfare of the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (SC&ST) have
taken a serious view of this, and has directed this Department to issue necessary guidelines to

all the concerned for ensuring timely verification of the Caste Certificate of the employees
belonging to the reserved category.
2. It is stated that the responsibility for the issue and verification of Caste Certificate lies

with the concerned State/UT Government. The Hon'ble Supreme Court, vide its Order dated
2.9.1994 in the matter of in the matter of Kumari Madhuri Patil vs Addl. Commissioner, has laid
down the detailed guidelines for effective verification of the Caste Certificates of the
employees, so that no person, on the basis of fake caste certificate, may secure employment
wrongfully in the Government.

3. DoP&T has issued various guidelines from time to time for streamlining the process of
verification of Caste Certificate of the employees, and has requested the State/UT Governments
for timely verification of the same. However, as mentioned above, instances have come to
notice that the appointing authority has taken an unduly long time in getting the caste status of
an employee verified through the concerned State authorities which is tot2lly in contravention
of the existing instructions. In this regard, attention is invited towards the following

instructions of DoPT in the matter:

(i) DoPT OM No. 36019/7/1975-Estt (SCT) dated 31.10.1975 (copy at Annexure-I) provides
that the candidates belonging to the SC/ST category have to produce a Certificate in the
prescribed form issued by one of the prescribed authorities in support of their claim of
belonging to a SC/ST. Where such a candidate is unable to produce a Certificate from any of the
prescribed authorities, he may he appointed provisionally on the basis of whatever prima facie
proof he is able to produce in support of his claim subject to his furnishing the prescribed
Certificate within a reasonable time, and if there is genuine difficulty in his obtaining a
Certificate, the appointing authority should itself verify his claims through the District
Magistrate concerned.

(ii) DoPT OM No. 36011/16/80-Estt (SCT) dated 27.2.1981 (copy at Annexure-II) provides that
the verification of caste status at every important upturn of employees career is necessary, as
an SC candidate may lose his status of SC if he embraces a religion other than Hinduism and

Sikhism (DoPT OM No. 36011/3/2005-Estt (Res) dated 9.9.2005 provides that an SC candidate
loses his SC status if he embraces a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism).
(iii) DoPT, vide letter No. 36022/1/2007 - Estt (Res) dated 20.3.2007 (copy at Annexure-III),

have requested the State/UT Governments to issue instructions to the District
Magistrates/District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners of the districts to the effect that they

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