How to change your name on your School and College Certificates in India? – Answered

Legal information to help you to change your name in School and College Certificates in India!

Changing your name in a Degree or Diploma or any other college certificate within India, is a long and tedious process. So don’t go for it unless you really have a strong reason to change your name. Be completely sure that you want to be a new person; after all you are going to change the name you have been using since birth! This article will help you to be thorough about the issues that are involved in changing your name in your college certificate. Different colleges or high schools have different ways to issues certificates, so it is advisable to consult your college authorities about the formalities.

To begin with it is better to be familiar with the legal hassles that most of you are scared of:

1) Affidavit

Getting an affidavit done is the most vital part of name changing. For that you have to go to your local notary and make an affidavit about your name change. Here you have to provide a proper reason as to why you want to change your name. For example in case of women it is marriage. One of my friends changed his name because it was too difficult to pronounce. After making the affidavit, make a couple of copies and keep the original one very carefully. I will advice to you is save it in your computer or keep a soft copy in your email. It is always better to have a back up.

2) Newspaper publication

Your next step will be to publish your name change in the newspaper. There is particular format which is available in any newspaper office. It is better to publish in any of your local dailies as it is often read by the most of the local people. Never forget to keep copies of it.

3) Gazette Notification

After your new name is published in the newspaper your name has to be notified in the official gazette. Be prepared for a good amount of travelling and phone calls. Go to your local press office and get a copy of ‘deed changing surname form’ and fill it.

Having done this you have to go through the process of verification. Get the following documents ready to send to the Secretary, Department of Commerce and Transport.

1. A letter to the secretary stating that you want to change your name and request him/her to allow you to do that.

2. The ‘deed changing surname form’

3. At least 2 copies of local newspaper which published your name.

4. Attested copy of the affidavit.

5. A copy of your present identity (PAN card, voter ID card, Passport etc).

Don’t forget to keep both soft and hard copies of all the documents regarding your name change. Wait! That is not all.

You will get reply from the secretary, which you will show to the local gazette office. Pay the amount for publishing and wait for it to appear in the newspaper. Finally you are done with the entire process. Now you need to produce these documents to your college in order to change your name in the college certificate. Collect all the documents and keep them in a separate folder. Make at least 2/3 copies of all the documents and notify your college authority that you have changed your name. It is better to visit the college registrar’s office personally.

Now all you have to do is wait for the new degree or diploma certificate showing your new name. It is not easy but then if you follow the process in the proper way, you can get it done. What is required is some patience and money to get the process completed.