Registrar General of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) has directed all States to ensure birth certificates:
The Registrar General of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) has directed all States to ensure birth certificates are issued within 7 days of registration, preferably before discharging newborns from hospitals, especially in government facilities, which account for over 50% of institutional births in India.Birth registration in India has increased from 86% (2014) to over 96% (2024).It is governed by the Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969, with no fee if done within 21 days.Legal provisions now ensure registration of adopted, orphaned, abandoned, surrendered, and surrogate children, as well as those of single parents or unmarried mothers. The 2023 amendment made digital registration mandatory and recognized electronic documents as official.From 1st October 2023, digital birth certificates became the sole proof of date of birth for school admissions, government jobs, marriage registrations, and issuance of driving licenses and passports.
