Authorities should accept self -attested certificates – Dr. Jitendra Singh

Indian Military Veterans

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has called for use of self – attested certificates since this has been approved by the Government of India for over last eight months. He was presiding over a review meeting of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), here today. Dr. Jitendra Singh has urged the State governments to encourage this practice and also appealed to the common people, particularly youth, to bear in mind that whenever they approach an office with documents, they should bring to the notice of the authorities that the Government of India now allows self attestation of certificates by the candidate himself.

Dr. Jitendra Singh informed that a circular to this effect had already been sent to the State governments and though most of the states have responded positively, yet in many cases, the information is still not fully percolated to the lower levels of administration. He said that introduction of self attested certificates was one of the most historic measures introduced by the Modi government soon after it took over. The decision was universally hailed both by administration as well as by public.

This revolutionary step not only lessened a lot of hardship faced by the youth applying for jobs or higher education but also conveyed a bigger symbolic message that the Modi government had the capacity to trust the youth of this country, he added.

Recalling from his personal experience, Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that he had personally been a witness to a number of hardships that the youth went through looking for a gazetted officer, a notary, etc., for attestation. Moreover, in certain remote areas of the country many a time, a gazetted officer or a notary was not readily available in the vicinity to perform the task of attestation, he added.

On occasions, there were also complaints that young aspirants had to shell out meager amount in their pockets for accomplishing the task of getting the huge pile of certificates attested. This is particularly ironic in the present age of high technology and biometric facility, he observed and added that in certain areas and departments, however, where statutory, legal or security nature are involved, the earlier practice of getting attestation from an authorised authority has nonetheless been allowed to carry on.

During the review meeting, an assessment was also made of the number of other recent initiatives by DARPG department which include introduction of a pension portal, “Jeevan Praman” initiative, “Anubhav” programme, biometrics and new methods for ease in governance. The Secretary DoPT, Shri Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary DARPG, Shri Alok Rawat and other senior officers of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions have participated in the meeting.

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