Government job application checklist

Before touching the application form, pull three things out of the notification: the age cutoff date (your age is calculated on a specific date printed in the notification, not the day you apply), the exact eligibility line for your post (a "degree in engineering" and a "B.E./B.Tech" are not always treated the same), and the certificate format annexures at the end — central recruitments only accept category certificates in the prescribed central format.

• Class 10 certificate — this is the standard proof of date of birth in government recruitment. The name and DOB on it are your reference spelling for everything else.
• All marksheets and degree certificates, including semester-wise marksheets. If your final degree is pending, the provisional certificate.
• Photo ID — Aadhaar and PAN.
• Category certificate, if applicable — see the validity rules below, this is where most rejections happen.
• Domicile certificate for state government jobs — it must be issued by the state you are applying in.
• PwD certificate from a competent medical authority, if applicable.
• Experience certificates and NOC — an NOC from your employer is mandatory if you are already in government service.

• SC/ST: the certificate itself does not expire, but for central government posts it must be in the central government format. A state-format certificate can be rejected at document verification even though the category is genuine.
• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): the certificate must carry the NCL clause — without it you are treated as General. It is valid for the financial year it is issued in, so it needs renewing after 1 April, and the family income ceiling for NCL is currently ₹8 lakh per year. Check what issue-date window the notification accepts.
• EWS: the Income and Asset Certificate is valid only for the financial year it is issued in — a certificate from last financial year is a rejection, full stop. Renew it every year if you are actively applying.

• OBC (NCL): +3 years above the general age limit.
• SC/ST: +5 years.
• PwD: +10 years (added on top of category relaxation where applicable).
• EWS: no age relaxation. This surprises many applicants — EWS gives 10% reservation but you must meet the General category age limit.
• Ex-servicemen and departmental candidates: varies by recruitment — check the notification.

Each recruiter publishes exact specs and enforces them mechanically. The common pattern: a recent colour photo (usually taken within the last three months — SSC additionally wants the date printed on the photo), plain white background, face filling most of the frame, JPG of roughly 20–50 KB. UPSC allows larger files; IBPS asks for 200×230 pixels. Match the exact numbers in the notification, not these.

Signatures are rejected for two avoidable reasons: written in capital letters, or in pencil. Sign in running hand with a black or blue pen, and use the same signature on the form, the exam, and document verification — a visibly different signature can raise a dispute years into the process.

• Name mismatch across documents— the single most common rejection at document verification. "Vinod Kumar" on the Class 10 certificate and "Vinod K." on the degree needs fixing (affidavit or correction) before you apply, not after you clear the exam.
• An expired OBC-NCL or EWS certificate, or one issued outside the window the notification specifies.
• Category certificate not in the central format for a central government post.
• Domicile certificate from the wrong state for a state-quota post.
• Paying the fee anywhere other than the official portal — recruiters collect fees only through their own payment gateway, and several categories (typically women and SC/ST candidates) are fee-exempt.
• Waiting until the last day. Portals reliably slow down or crash in the final hours; apply in the first week and keep the fee receipt and a PDF of the submitted form.

• Age calculated on the notification's cutoff date, not today's date.
• Every document shows the same name spelling as your Class 10 certificate.
• Category certificate valid for the current financial year, in the required format.
• Photo and signature match the exact size, format and background rules.
• Fee paid on the official portal, receipt saved, and a copy of the final submitted form downloaded.