Birth Certificate plays an essential role in an individual’s life and is one of the most important documents. It is helpful in various places such as schools for national-level examinations, hospitals for medical checkups, job transfers, and much more. There are so many problems faced by children if their information does not match the information mentioned in other documents. Therefore, people go for the correction in Birth certificates in India. The errors can be different for everyone, and they can correct them too if they are relevant.

In this article, we will discuss everything regarding the birth certificate, the errors, why people go for the correction in their birth certificate, which type of errors are rectified, and much more.

What is a Birth Certificate?

A birth certificate is a very important document in India and is one of the permanent things. The one who does not have a birth certificate is denied many things, such as official identity, a name from which they should be recognized, and nationality.

A birth certificate keeps the legal record of the child and tells about when and where they are born and who their parents are. Overall, a birth certificate is one of the crucial documents which needs to be registered by all human beings to avail of various government benefits.

Benefits of a Birth Certificate

There are so many benefits of Birth certificates, and they are used in various places to help with several things. Some of the benefits of a birth certificate are mentioned down below:-

Birth Certificates are used in schools to get admissions.
It helps in telling whether you are eligible for employment or not as it serves as proof of age.
They are also used to give age proof at the time of marriage.
It helps in establishing parentage.
Helps in getting registered in NPR (National Population Register)

An individual can avail of many more benefits of a birth certificate.

When should you register to get a birth certificate?

To get the birth certificate, you should register within the first 21 days when the child is born. You can fill out the form given to you by the registrar. Once you have applied for a birth certificate, the details are cross-checked with the hospitals and are matched. And if it is not present in the hospital’s records, it is released with the help of police verification.

If you cannot register in a particular period, then you have to pay the nominal fees and then can receive it in a year. If you fail, you must register by submitting the affidavit to the magistrate. The details on the affidavit are then verified, and if they are found correct, it is transferred to the registrar to enter the child’s birth entry.

Overall, you can apply for the birth certificate whenever you want, but there are inevitable consequences and extra things you have to do with the increase in time.

Documents Required for the Correction in Birth Certificate

Documents that are required for the correction in the birth certificate are:-

An affidavit to change the name of a person or parent’s name consists of the old name, new name, and the reason behind it.
An application form.
Passport-size photographs.
Aadhar card or PAN card to give the address and identity proof.
A newspaper advertisement if you are changing your name.
Gazette Notification (if applicable)
Divorce or marriage certificate (if applicable)

What are the consequences a child faces by not getting registered for a birth certificate?

The child faces many consequences when not registered for a birth certificate. Some of them are mentioned down below:-

This helps in protecting the child from violence, abuse, and exploitation. And if they are not registered with a birth certificate, they are not protected from such things.
They are forced into marriage as there is no legal proof of their age, and they are married underaged.
They are also forced to do labor work as there is no age proof.
Children do not benefit from routine vaccines and healthcare facilities because they are not registered for birth certificates.
With a birth certificate, they can attend schools and even register for exams.
Job opportunities are very limited to them.

There can be many more consequences which can be faced by the children if they do not register for a birth certificate.

What are some of the common errors in the Birth Certificate?

There are some common errors that can occur in the birth certificate are mentioned down below:-

Spelling errors in the names

This is one of the most common errors in the birth certificate. The spelling mistake can be of the parent’s or child’s names.

Incorrect Place of Birth or Dates

Sometimes, the date or the place of birth mentioned in the birth certificate can be wrong, which has significant consequences in the future.

Information related to parents is inaccurate.

Errors can also be in the parent’s information, which also leads to various issues faced by the child and the parents.

Gender Misidentification

This is rare, but sometimes the gender written on a birth certificate can be wrong and must be changed.

The above-mentioned points represent the common errors which should be avoided so that there are no consequences faced in the future.

Types Of Correction Allowed In Birth Certificate

The following types of errors can be corrected in the birth certificate:-

Correct an individual’s first, middle, or last name if there is any error.
You can collect the spelling errors in your birth certificate
If the birth year is written wrong, you can change that.
You can correct any spelling mistake in the parents’ information, too.
Birth Date Can Also Be Corrected In A Birth Certificate.

Procedure To Publish Gazette Notification For Change The Name In Birth Certificate

Step 1- Name change affidavit – It’s important if you want to change your name on the birth certificate. Creating a name change affidavit must include the reason for the name change in the affidavit.

Step 2- Newspaper publication – Your name change must be announced in your neighborhood newspaper after you have submitted a name change affidavit. Newspapers should publish in the state’s official language as well as in English.

Step 3 – Gazette Publication – It is now time to publish your gazette notification. Once you have published your gazette notification, your name will be officially changed.

Procedure To Correct Your Error In A Birth Certificate

You need to follow a procedure to correct any error in a birth certificate. The procedure is given below, which you can follow to change your name, address, or your birth year or date on a birth certificate:-

First, you should get the online form or the application form from the online website.
From the municipal corporation office, or you can take the ‘Birth Certificate Update/ Correction form’ from the Gram panchayat where you registered for your birth certificate.
After that, please fill out your form and create an affidavit which should indicate your old details, new details, and why you are changing it. To get your affidavit done, you need to contact a local notary officer who can help you in making your affidavit.
After your affidavit is ready, you can submit the application form along with the affidavit and all the required documents, such as an Aadhar card or PAN card, to the District court.
Do the advertisement publication for the change you are doing in your certificate to inform the community about that. You need to publish your advertisement for a name change in two newspapers.
After doing everything then, get your name published in the official Gazette of your state. You can do that by approaching the government press and filling out the form. After that, pay the fees which are required, and then your change notification will get published by the state’s Official Gazette.

This is the whole procedure you must follow to get your correction done on the birth certificate.

Some Tips For A Smooth Name Correction Process

Here are some tips which you can follow which will help you in a smooth correction process:-

To continue your correction process in a birth certificate, a certain fee needs to be paid. You should pay it within the deadline to make the changes.
Keep a copy of all the documents used in the process so that you can present them if requested.
The procedure is slightly different for each state; therefore, carefully understand and read the guidelines the state government office mentioned.

Conclusion

A birth Certificate is an important document that helps children avail of many services and benefits them in many ways. Though there can be errors sometimes in the birth certificate which need to be changed, you can change them with the help of the procedure mentioned above. The changes should be relevant, and make sure to do them as soon as possible so you get all the services and the opportunity.

Read Also:- Birth certificate agent in Delhi

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1 How long does it take to change the name legally in India?

Ans: It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks to get your changes done and published in the Gazette.

Q.2 Is an affidavit required for the name change?

Ans: Yes, an affidavit is required for the name change. Also, you have to publish the advertisement in the newspaper for the same.

Q.3 Can birth certificate corrections be made online?

Ans: Yes, you can do them online, but if your municipal authority provides you with these services.

Q.4 Can NRIs correct birth certificates?

Ans: Yes, NRIs can also correct their birth certificates. They can also do it online.