Date of Birth Change in Gazette

When this route can work

• You need a primary proof of the correct date, such as a birth certificate issued by the municipal registrar or an early school record. Without a reliable proof, a gazette notification alone is unlikely to be accepted.
• If only your birth certificate is wrong, the correct route is usually a correction with the Registrar of Births and Deaths under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1969, not a gazette notice.
• School and board certificates are corrected by the school and the board under their own rules, which often have time limits. A gazette notice is supporting evidence, not a replacement for the board's correction.
• Government employees should check their service rules. Changes to the date of birth in service records are tightly restricted and are usually allowed only within a limited period after joining and on strong proof.
• The change should be a genuine correction of an error. A date of birth cannot be changed to gain age-related benefits, and a false declaration is an offence.

What affects the total cost

• Gazette publication charge: the Department of Publication charges a fee for publishing the notification. The rate is set by the department and can change.
• Newspaper advertisements: usually one English and one Hindi or regional newspaper. Cost depends on the newspaper and the edition chosen.
• Affidavit: stamp paper and notary charges for the affidavit declaring the correct date of birth.
• Certified copies: getting a fresh birth certificate or certified school records, if you do not have them, involves separate office fees and time.
• Follow-up corrections: updating Aadhaar, PAN, passport and bank records afterwards may each carry a small fee.

How long it takes

The affidavit and newspaper advertisements can be finished within a few days. Most of the time goes into the gazette stage: after the online application, the Department of Publication scrutinises the documents, may raise queries, and then publishes the notice in a weekly issue of the Gazette of India, Part IV. The usual range is four to eight weeks. Delays come from mismatched details between the affidavit and the advertisement, unclear scans of the proof, or a proof that does not clearly show the correct date. Getting your birth certificate corrected first, where needed, adds its own time.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting with the gazette when the birth certificate itself is wrong. Correct the source record first, then use the gazette if other documents still differ.
• Relying on an affidavit alone as proof of the correct date. Offices want a documentary proof that existed before the dispute.
• Choosing a date that matches no document. The correct date should match at least one reliable early record.
• Ignoring board and university time limits for corrections, then finding the window has closed.
• Not keeping the newspaper cuttings in full, with the newspaper's name and date visible. The gazette office and later offices may ask for them.

What you get at the end

At the end you get the published gazette notification, which you can download from egazette.gov.in, along with the newspaper cuttings and the affidavit. Together with your original proof of date of birth, these are submitted to offices such as Aadhaar enrolment centres, the passport office, banks and employers. Each office applies its own rules, so the notification supports your request but does not force every office to accept the change.

In Delhi NCR

• Birth certificates for births in Delhi are issued by the municipal registrar, mainly the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and also NDMC or the Delhi Cantonment Board depending on the area.
• If the birth was never registered, a delayed registration needs an order from the prescribed authority, which in Delhi is usually handled through the revenue department. Our team tells you whether this applies.
• For births registered in Gurugram, Noida or another state, corrections go to that state's registrar, not Delhi.
• The Gazette of India application itself is online, so you can complete the gazette stage from anywhere once the documents are ready.
• Outside NCR, the team can guide you online on the affidavit, the advertisements and the gazette application.