Self-Declaration Form (Swa Pramanit Ghoshna Patra) — Download, Filling and Upload Guide

If you apply for an income certificate, a caste certificate or a domicile certificate in Uttar Pradesh, one document is asked for in every single application: the self-declaration form, called the Swa Pramanit Ghoshna Patra (स्व-प्रमाणित घोषणा पत्र) in Hindi.

It is a simple one-page declaration. By signing it, you state that the details you have given — your name, family, income, caste or residence — are true to the best of your knowledge, and that you accept responsibility if they turn out to be wrong. That signature is what gives the document its value: the verifying officer treats your application as backed by your own sworn word.

Not long ago, this step meant buying stamp paper of ₹10 to ₹100 and finding a notary to stamp an affidavit. The government replaced that system with self-declaration precisely to remove the cost and the middlemen. You now print a free form, fill it, sign it and upload a photo of it — yet a surprising number of applications still get rejected over this one page, almost always for the small mistakes listed at the end of this guide.

Self-Declaration Form — Quick Information

Needed for	Income certificate, caste certificate, domicile certificate (and some other revenue services)
Where to get it	Free download from the official portal edistrict.up.gov.in; also provided within the eSathi application
Cost	Free — no stamp paper, no notary, no fee
Upload format	JPEG only — the portal rejects PDF for this document
File size	Under 100KB
Most important rule	The form must be signed — an unsigned declaration is the #1 cause of rejection
Helpline	0522-2304706 · ceghelpdesk@gmail.com

How to Fill the Self-Declaration Form — Field by Field

Print the form and fill it by hand with a pen, in the same language style as your other documents. This is what each part of the form asks for:

Field on the Form	What to Write	Keep in Mind
Applicant's full name	Your name exactly as on Aadhaar	Do not use a short or pet name; it must match the application form
Father's / husband's name	Full name of father or husband, as applicable	Should match the entry in your other documents
Complete address	Village/ward, post office, block, tehsil, district and PIN code	Write the address of the place you actually live — this is what gets verified
Subject of declaration	The fact you are declaring — for example, your caste, your annual family income, or that you are a permanent resident of the village/town	Keep it specific to the certificate you are applying for; one declaration per application
Declaration statement	The printed statement confirming the information is true and that you accept responsibility for it	Read it before signing; do not leave the statement area blank or altered
Place and date	Your place and the date of signing	Use the current date, close to the date you submit the application
Signature / thumb impression	Your signature in the marked space; thumb impression if you do not sign	Mandatory. Most rejections happen because this space was left empty

Write clearly, in one ink, without cutting or overwriting — if you make a mistake, print a fresh form
Every detail on the declaration must match the online application and your Aadhaar
Sign a separate declaration for each certificate application, even on the same day
Scan or photograph the signed form straight, in daylight, with all four corners visible
Save the scan as JPEG and compress it below 100KB before uploading

Step by Step — From Download to Upload

Download the form. Get the self-declaration format free from the official portal edistrict.up.gov.in, or use the format provided inside your eSathi application. Never pay anyone for this form.

Print it on plain paper. A normal A4 printout is enough — no stamp paper is required for a self-declaration.

Fill every field by hand. Name, father's/husband's name, full address and the subject of the declaration, following the field guide above.

Sign it. Put your signature (or thumb impression) in the marked space, with place and date. Do not skip this — it is the whole point of the document.

Scan or photograph the signed form. Keep the page flat and fully visible, with sharp, readable text. A blurred photo is treated like a missing document.

Convert to JPEG and compress under 100KB. This document must be a JPEG — a PDF upload is rejected by the portal for the self-declaration. Free compressor tools can reduce the size without spoiling readability; a black-and-white scan at about 200 DPI usually lands well under the limit.

Upload it in the application. In your eSathi application, attach the JPEG in the self-declaration / ghoshna patra slot, and check the preview once to confirm the signature is visible.

Keep the paper original. The Lekhpal or verifying officer may ask to see the physical signed form during field verification — file it with your other documents.

Fees — There Are None

Item	Old Affidavit System	Self-Declaration (Now)
Stamp paper	₹10–100	Not required
Notary charges	Commonly ₹50–200	Not required
Form cost	Paid at the notary/agent	Free download from edistrict.up.gov.in
Total	Often ₹150–300 with travel	₹0 — print and sign at home

If a CSC operator or shopkeeper tries to sell you the form itself, or insists a notarized affidavit is still compulsory for income, caste or domicile certificates, that is wrong. The certificates themselves carry their normal small fees (₹10–15 on eSathi), but the declaration is free.

The Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected

Verification officers see the same handful of errors again and again. All of them are avoidable in two minutes of checking:

No signature on the form — the biggest single cause of rejection across income, caste and domicile applications. An unsigned declaration proves nothing.
Uploaded as PDF — for this document the portal accepts JPEG only; the PDF rule that works for your other documents does not apply here.
File larger than 100KB — the upload fails or is returned; compress the scan first.
Details do not match — a different spelling of your name, an old address, or an income figure on the declaration that differs from the application form will send the file back.
One declaration reused everywhere — the subject line mentions a specific certificate; using the caste declaration inside an income application is a mismatch.
Blurred or cropped photo — if the officer cannot read the text and see the signature, the document is treated as not submitted.
Wrong applicant signing — the person whose certificate it is should sign the declaration (a parent or guardian signs for a minor).

If your application does come back, the reason shown in eSathi will point to the exact problem. Fix only that, upload a clean signed JPEG, and resubmit — there is no penalty, and the SRN stays the same in a correction round. Our status guide explains what each status label means.

Related Guides

How to prepare the form

Self-declaration: four essential checks

01Correct format

02Complete details

03Signature

04JPEG below 100 KB

An unsigned form or PDF file can cause rejection

Original visual guide • For reference, not an official document

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Swa Pramanit Ghoshna Patra (self-declaration form)?

It is a signed self-declaration in which you state, in your own words and under your own signature, that the information given in your certificate application is true. Uttar Pradesh made it a standard document for income, caste and domicile certificates in place of the old notarized affidavit.

Why did the self-declaration replace the affidavit?

Earlier, applicants had to buy stamp paper and visit a notary for a sworn affidavit, which cost money and a full day of running around. The self-declaration reform removed that step: a plain signed declaration by the applicant carries the same responsibility, without stamp paper or notary charges.

Where do I download the self-declaration form?

The form is available free on the official eDistrict UP portal, edistrict.up.gov.in, and is also provided inside the eSathi application flow for the certificates that need it. Never pay a shop or agent for this form — it is a free one-page document.

In which format should I upload the self-declaration?

Upload it as a JPEG image only, kept under 100KB. For this particular document the portal rejects PDF files, which is a rule many applicants discover only after a rejection. Scan or photograph the signed form straight and in good light, then compress it below 100KB before uploading.

What is the most common reason applications get rejected because of this form?

A missing signature. An unsigned self-declaration is the single biggest cause of rejection in income, caste and domicile applications — the form carries no weight without the applicant's signature (and thumb impression where used). The second most common problem is uploading it as a PDF instead of a JPEG.

Can I write the declaration by hand instead of printing the form?

The safest practice is to print the standard form, fill it by hand in clear writing and sign it. If a printed form is genuinely not available, a neatly handwritten declaration containing the same details and your signature is generally what the verifying officer looks for — but use the printed format whenever possible to avoid a return.

Do I need a separate self-declaration for every certificate?

Yes. Each application — income, caste, domicile — is verified separately, so each one needs its own signed declaration mentioning that certificate and your details. Do not upload the same scanned copy in three applications; sign a fresh one for every application.

Last updated: 22 October 2026