BHU PG 2026 Document Checklist for SC, ST, OBC and EWS Students

BHU PG 2026 students applying under SC, ST, OBC or EWS category must carry a valid caste or income certificate issued by a competent authority during document verification and counselling.

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) conducts postgraduate admissions through CUET PG scores. Reserved category students must submit category-specific certificates in addition to standard academic documents. A missing or invalid certificate can result in cancellation of the reserved-category seat, so students must prepare all required documents well before counselling begins.

• SC and ST students need a caste certificate issued by the District Magistrate, SDM or Tehsildar in the format prescribed by the Government of India.
• OBC students must submit a Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificate issued on or after April 1, 2025 confirming annual family income below Rs 8 lakh.
• EWS students need an Income and Asset Certificate issued in financial year 2025-26 by a competent revenue authority.
• All category certificates must be in English or Hindi; regional-language certificates must have a certified translation attached.
• Carry the original certificate and at least two self-attested photocopies to the document verification centre.

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Common Documents for All BHU PG 2026 Students

Every student appearing for BHU PG 2026 counselling must carry the following documents regardless of category:

Students who appeared in the final examination and are awaiting results may be provisionally admitted but must produce original documents within the notified deadline.

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SC and ST Certificate Requirements for BHU PG 2026

SC and ST students must submit a caste certificate in the format prescribed by the Government of India, issued by a competent authority of the state or union territory where the student originally belongs.

Key points to verify on the SC or ST certificate before submission:

• Issued by the District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Collector, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Collector, First Class Stipendiary Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Taluka Magistrate, Executive Magistrate or Extra Assistant Commissioner.
• Must clearly mention the sub-caste name, district and state of origin.
• The caste must appear in the Presidential Order or Schedule applicable to the student’s home state — SC certificates from one state are not valid for seats reserved under another state.
• ST certificates must confirm the student belongs to a Scheduled Tribe as notified for that specific state or union territory.
• There is no Non-Creamy Layer condition for SC and ST categories — income is not a criterion for SC or ST reservation.

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OBC Non-Creamy Layer Certificate Requirements for BHU PG 2026

OBC students must submit a caste certificate explicitly stating Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) status, issued on or after April 1, 2025 for the academic year 2026-27.

An OBC certificate without the NCL clause will not be accepted for reserved-category seats. Key requirements are:

• The certificate must confirm the caste is listed in the Central List of Other Backward Classes issued by the Government of India — the state OBC list alone is not sufficient.
• Annual family income must be below Rs 8 lakh from all sources to qualify as Non-Creamy Layer.
• Issued by a revenue officer not below the rank of Tehsildar.
• The certificate date must be on or after April 1, 2025 — certificates dated before this are invalid for BHU PG 2026.
• Students whose parents hold Group A or Group B Central Government service posts do not qualify for NCL status regardless of income.

Students with an OBC certificate dated before April 1, 2025 must obtain a fresh one from their Tehsildar before counselling, even if all other details remain unchanged.

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EWS Income and Asset Certificate Requirements for BHU PG 2026

EWS students must present an Income and Asset Certificate issued on or after April 1, 2025 (financial year 2025-26) by a competent revenue authority.

The EWS category was introduced by the Government of India in 2019 for general-category students whose family income and assets fall below the prescribed thresholds. All five conditions below must be satisfied:

• Annual family income from all sources must be below Rs 8 lakh.
• The family must not own agricultural land of 5 acres or more.
• The family must not own a residential flat of 1,000 sq ft or more.
• The family must not own a residential plot of 100 sq yards or more in a notified municipality.
• The family must not own a residential plot of 200 sq yards or more in non-notified municipal areas.

EWS reservation is exclusively for general-category students. Students belonging to SC, ST or OBC categories cannot apply under EWS.

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Document Format and Submission Guidelines for BHU PG 2026

Follow these guidelines to avoid rejection during BHU PG 2026 document verification:

• Self-attested photocopies — write Self-Attested on each copy and sign exactly as your name appears in the admission form.
• Language — all certificates must be in English or Hindi. Regional-language certificates need a notarised or certified English or Hindi translation.
• Legibility — scanned copies uploaded to the portal must be clear and fully readable. Blurred or cropped scans are liable to be rejected.
• File format — the BHU PG portal accepts PDF uploads. Check bhucuetpg.samarth.edu.in for the specific file size limit at the time of upload.
• Original documents — carry all originals to the verification centre. Originals are returned after verification is complete.
• Validity date — OBC-NCL and EWS certificates must be dated on or after April 1, 2025 to be accepted for BHU PG 2026 admission.