Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed all district collectors to ensure the timely issuance of Resident, Income, Caste and other certificates required by students seeking admission to educational institutions across the state.
In a communication to district administrations, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Arabinda Padhee, stressed that applications for such certificates must be disposed of within the timelines prescribed under the Odisha Right to Public Services Act, 2012 (ORTPSA), to prevent any inconvenience to students and their families during the admission season.
The department noted a significant increase in applications from students requiring certificates for admission purposes and instructed officials to prioritize their prompt processing. Authorities have been asked to take immediate decisions on applications submitted through the e-District portal based on the information furnished by applicants.
According to the directive, Resident and Income certificates, which are supported by self-declarations from applicants, should be issued without unnecessary delay. For Caste certificates, field verification at the village level has been mandated to be completed expeditiously. The government has specifically instructed that inquiries relating to caste certificate applications should not remain pending with Revenue Inspectors for more than three days.
Officials have also been advised not to seek additional documents from applicants unless expressly required under existing laws, rules or government instructions. Verification should, as far as possible, be carried out using available government records and digital databases.
To strengthen oversight, the government has established a multi-tier monitoring mechanism. Sub-Collectors have been directed to review the progress of applications on a daily basis and address bottlenecks immediately. Additional District Collectors will conduct reviews at the Tahsil level every seven days, while District Collectors will assess progress every 15 days. Monthly reviews will be undertaken by the Revenue Commissioner.
Emphasizing the importance of timely service delivery, the state government stated that no student should be denied admission opportunities due to delays in obtaining essential certificates from Tahsil offices. It warned that negligence or undue delay by officials would be viewed seriously and could attract disciplinary action.
