Compiled 10 August 2026. Portal requirements changed in March 2026 and may change again. Confirm current steps on the official portal. There is no government fee for these certificates — anyone telling you otherwise is charging their own service fee, or defrauding you.
Almost every scholarship rejection we write about on this site traces back to one of three pieces of paper: an income certificate, a caste certificate, or a residence certificate.
Get these right and most applications go through. Get them wrong — usually by using an expired one — and nothing else you do matters.
Where to apply
You can also apply at your block RTPS counter in person, which is what most applicants in rural Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul actually do.
The table that will save you a rejection
Each certificate has a different validity period. This is the single most useful thing on this page, and almost nobody tells students about it:
| Certificate | Reported validity |
|---|---|
| Caste certificate | Lifetime once issued |
| Residence / domicile certificate | 3 years |
| Income certificate | 1 year |
| EWS certificate | 1 year |
What changed in 2026
Three changes were introduced to the RTPS process from around March 2026:
- MeriPehchaan (Jan Parichay) SSO login is now mandatory. You log in through the national single sign-on rather than a portal-specific account.
- Aadhaar OTP verification is required during the application.
- Additional documents and details are requested compared with earlier years.
If you last applied a couple of years ago and expect the old process, this is why the portal looks unfamiliar. Your mobile number must be the one linked to your Aadhaar, or the OTP step will fail.
How to apply online
- Open serviceonline.bihar.gov.in and log in via MeriPehchaan / Jan Parichay.
- Choose the certificate you need — income, caste, residence, EWS, NCL or character.
- Select the level at which you are applying: block (anchal), subdivision, or district.
- Fill in personal details exactly as they appear on your Aadhaar.
- Complete Aadhaar OTP verification.
- Upload supporting documents and submit.
- Save the application or acknowledgement number — you need it to track status and to download the certificate.
The form itself takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes if your documents are ready.
How long it takes
Reported issue time is 7 to 15 working days, and can be faster where the revenue officer is prompt. Plan for the longer end, particularly in August and September when the whole division is applying for scholarship documents at once.
If you need a certificate for a scholarship deadline, work backwards. For the Post Matric Scholarship closing 15 September, an income certificate applied for in late August is cutting it fine — and the certificate is only the first step, since the scholarship then needs college and district verification too.
Getting the name right
More applications fail on name mismatches than on any substantive ground. Before you apply, put these side by side and check they agree:
- Aadhaar
- Class 10 marksheet
- Bank account
- Any existing caste or residence certificate
A missing surname, an initial written out in one place and abbreviated in another, or a spelling variation is enough to cause an objection later. Fix the inconsistency at the source before you build more documents on top of it.
Checking status and downloading
Use the application number on the same portal to track status and, once issued, to download the certificate. Certificates issued digitally carry verification details and can be verified online — which means a genuine certificate can be checked, and a forged one will be caught.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Bihar income certificate valid?
One year. Scholarship schemes generally require one issued for the current financial year, which is why reusing last year's certificate is one of the most common causes of rejection.
Is there any fee for a caste, income or residence certificate?
No. Application through the RTPS portal is free. A cyber café or CSC operator may charge a service fee for filling the form on your behalf, but there is no government fee.
How long does an RTPS certificate take to be issued?
Reported issue time is 7 to 15 working days, sometimes faster. Allow the longer end during August and September, when demand across the division peaks ahead of scholarship deadlines.
Why do I need MeriPehchaan login now?
From around March 2026, MeriPehchaan (Jan Parichay) single sign-on became mandatory for the RTPS portal, alongside Aadhaar OTP verification. Your mobile number must be the one linked to your Aadhaar for the OTP step to work.
Does a caste certificate expire?
A caste certificate is reported as valid for lifetime once issued. The residence certificate is valid for three years and income and EWS certificates for one year each.
The bottom line
Check the issue date on your income certificate before you start any scholarship application. If it is from a previous financial year, apply for a new one first and build in two weeks.
Everything else on this site — Post Matric Scholarship, Kanya Utthan Yojana, the Student Credit Card — depends on these three documents being current and consistent.
Has the portal or a validity period changed? Tell us — we correct these pages quickly.