Affidavit for School Transfer Certificate (India)

An Affidavit for School Transfer Certificate in India sets out facts the deponent solemnly affirms to be true, in a form that can be relied on by a court or authority.

A school Transfer Certificate (TC) is issued by a school to a student leaving the institution, certifying the student's name, date of birth, class last attended, admission number, conduct, academic record, and eligibility to join the next class. The TC is the primary documentary basis for admission to a new school and for registration with education boards including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE/ISC), and state boards such as the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) and the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE).

The evidentiary value of the TC's date of birth entry has been confirmed by multiple High Courts. The Bombay High Court in various decisions has held that the date of birth entered in the school admission register at the time of first admission is the most reliable evidence of age, and the TC derived from the admission register is accorded primacy in government employment disputes and age-related applications.

A sworn affidavit for TC matters is required in three main scenarios. First, when the original TC has been lost or destroyed, the affidavit declares the loss, states the circumstances, and supports the request for a duplicate TC from the issuing school. Most schools require a police First Information Report (FIR) or General Diary (GD) entry reporting the loss, plus the affidavit, before issuing a duplicate. Second, when the school itself is closed or de-recognised, an affidavit from the parent explaining the situation is accepted by education authorities as a substitute for the TC when seeking admission to a new school. Third, when the TC contains errors in the student's name, date of birth, or caste, an affidavit supports the application for a corrected TC.

The Right to Education Act 2009, under Section 14, mandates that no child shall be denied admission to a school for lack of age proof or birth certificate — the school must support obtaining the documents. State education departments have extended this principle to TC requirements for primary school children, allowing admission on affidavit in cases where the original TC is not available. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, notified by states under the RTE Act, specify the procedure for age determination and admission documentation in such cases.

An Affidavit for School Transfer Certificate is required in India across several common educational and administrative situations where the original Transfer Certificate is unavailable, incorrect, or cannot be obtained from the issuing school.

When the original TC is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the parent or guardian must file a GD entry at the local police station and execute a notarised affidavit declaring the loss before the school will process a request for a duplicate TC. Schools affiliated with CBSE, ICSE, and state boards have policies requiring both the police GD and the affidavit as conditions for issuing a duplicate, to prevent misuse of duplicate TCs.

Children from migrant families — construction workers, seasonal agricultural labourers, domestic workers, or families that have relocated from rural to urban areas — frequently lack TCs from their previous schools. Under the Right to Education Act 2009, state governments including Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi have issued circulars directing schools to admit such children on the basis of an affidavit from the parent declaring the child's name, age, and previous school details, without insisting on the original TC.

When a school has been closed by the state education department, de-recognised, or absorbed into another institution, its records may be unavailable or the school may be unable to issue TCs. Students from such schools need affidavits explaining the situation, supported by a certificate from the Block Education Officer or District Education Officer confirming the school's closure, to be admitted to new schools and to register with examination boards.

For corrections to the TC — particularly date of birth corrections needed for government job applications, passport applications, or court proceedings — an affidavit from the parent or the adult student supporting the correction request is required by the school and the relevant education board. Courts including the Supreme Court of India in Bharat Coking Coal Ltd v State of Bihar have addressed age correction disputes in employment contexts, consistently requiring primary documentary evidence supported by affidavits.

For students appearing in board examinations who need to register without a TC — particularly at the CBSE, NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling), or state board level — the examination authority may accept an affidavit temporarily, with the direction that the TC must be produced before the result is declared or the certificate is issued.

An Affidavit for School Transfer Certificate, to be accepted by schools, education boards, and government authorities in India, must contain specific elements prescribed by convention and required by the institutions accepting it.

Deponent identification identifies the person making the affidavit — typically the parent or legal guardian of the minor student, or the adult student themselves. The affidavit must state the deponent's full name, age, address, and relationship to the student. If the affidavit is made by the student who has attained majority (18 years), the student is the deponent. The deponent must be mentally competent and making the statement voluntarily.

Student identification states the full name of the student as it appears (or should appear) in school records, date of birth, class last attended, roll number or admission number (if known), and the name and address of the school last attended. Where there is a discrepancy between the student's name in the TC and other documents (Aadhaar, birth certificate), both names should be stated with an explanation.

School details specify the name and address of the school that issued or should have issued the TC, the class from which the student departed, the academic year, and the education board to which the school is affiliated (CBSE, ICSE, Maharashtra Board, etc.). If the school has been closed or the TC was issued by an unrecognised school, these circumstances must be described.

Circumstances and purpose of affidavit is the substantive declaration — stating clearly why the affidavit is needed. For a lost TC: a statement that the original TC was obtained, the circumstances of loss (lost during shifting of residence, misplaced, destroyed in fire, etc.), a declaration that the TC is not in the deponent's possession or control, and that it has not been pledged or used for any fraudulent purpose. For a closed school: a statement that the school is closed and no TC can be obtained. For TC correction: the nature of the error and the correct information with supporting documents.

Police GD/FIR reference — for lost TC affidavits, the General Diary (GD) number and date of the entry made at the local police station reporting the loss of the TC should be mentioned, since most schools require this as corroborating evidence. The GD number and police station name should be recited in the affidavit.

Undertaking and verification — the affidavit must conclude with a solemn undertaking that if the original TC is found, it will be returned to the school or destroyed, and that the affidavit is made to the best of the deponent's knowledge and belief. The deponent signs the affidavit as the 'Deponent'.

Execution formalities — the affidavit must be executed on non-judicial stamp paper of the appropriate value (₹100 in most states, though some states prescribe higher denominations) before a Notary Public appointed under the Notaries Act 1952 or an Oath Commissioner authorised by the High Court. The Notary's seal, signature, registration number, and date of attestation must appear on the affidavit. Without proper notarial attestation, the affidavit will not be accepted by schools or education boards.

The forms-legal.com Affidavit for School Transfer Certificate (India) template covers the mandatory elements under the Oaths Act 1969 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023.