Upon birth, every individual receives a certificate containing important information about them, such as their name, birthdate, place of birth, and other vital details like nationality, location, and hospital where the child was born. It often also includes their parents’ names, addresses, and occupations.
Individuals can use their birth certificates to apply for other documents as they grow older. Anyone can obtain a birth certificate from the municipality, county, or state/province where the birth occurred. They have the same status as other public legal documents.
What is a birth certificate?
A birth certificate officially registers a child’s birth to establish the child’s legal identification and prove the child’s existence. A birth certificate is not only crucial in protecting their other rights, but it is also an essential human requirement.
With the help of birth registration records, governments can allocate resources and prioritise areas in need of development, like education and vaccination, more effectively.
The birth certificate also has a very positive impact on a nation’s development. The information gathered from registering a birth is essential to planning national policies for children.
See also: How to apply for a birth certificate in India?
How to apply for a birth certificate in Bihar?
The birth certificate must be registered with the local authorities by filling out the form prescribed by the Registrar within 21 days of the event of birth. The birth certificate is then issued in India once the hospital records have been verified.
If the birth is at a dispensary or hospital, the hospital’s medical record officer should update the registrar regularly. However, if the baby is born at home, they must notify the appropriate authorities (local or state) who are responsible for keeping birth records.
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An applicant registering after 21 days must provide additional documents as stated in the requirement document section and pay the penalty for late registration. The revenue authorities can also order the police to verify the birth certificate if it has yet to be registered within the specified time.
If the registration is not done within one year, it can be completed by submitting an affidavit to a first-class magistrate or executive magistrate. Once the magistrate has verified the details of the affidavit, they decide whether it is satisfactory.
If the magistrate is satisfied with the details of the affidavit, the Registrar is ordered to enter birth records in the register.
To get a Birth certificate in Bihar, you have two different methods.
- Offline
- Online
Offline application for a birth certificate in Bihar
You can apply for a birth certificate offline by following these steps:
Step 1 – The first step in obtaining a birth certificate is to contact the appropriate revenue department authorities.
Step 2 – Fill out the application form for the birth certificate.
Step 3 – Ensure you have all the necessary documents listed below under the segment of the Required document.
Step 4 – Apply the application to the authorities with the required document.
Step 5 – Once the application has been submitted, the applicant must collect an acknowledgement slip. According to the payment norms for the period of application, the applicant may be required to pay for the process.
Step 6 – When the notified period ends, use the acknowledgement slip to obtain the birth certificate from the office.
Online application for a birth certificate in Bihar
You can apply for a birth certificate through the Bihar government online by following these steps:
Step 1 – Go to Bihar’s government website.
Step 2 – Select “Birth Certificate” and then “Register Me.”
Step 3 – Register with the portal by filling out the online form.
Step 4 – Fill in all the personal details and the shipping address.
Step 5 – The applicant will now be redirected to the payment page.
Step 6 – The applicant will receive an application number once the payment is made.
Step 7 – The certificate will be issued if the relevant authorities approve the applicant’s application.
Step 8 – Certificates will be mailed to the shipping address provided within the specified period.
Birth certificate Bihar: Documents required
Registering a birth certificate is easy if all the required documents are already in your possession. Most people register their birth certificates when they are registering their children.
- In the case of a hospital or dispensary birth, a registered record is sufficient.
- Proof of address (Voter ID, Driving License, etc.) of parents
- Parent’s Aadhar card
- When the birth takes place at home, the citizen must report it in writing to the local body (with address and Aadhar number as stated above), so it can be verified & the certificate issued.
- Certificate of a doctor or Hospital discharge certificate.
- In the case of delayed registration (after the applicable period as per state norms), an affidavit is required from the notary/judicial magistrate (as advised) indicating the date and place of birth, names of the parents, and evidence of the event of birth.
- In the absence of records from the hospital, a signed and stamped certificate by the village head / regional councillor / MLA / MP / MBS should be submitted.
Birth certificate Bihar: Charges required for birth certificate registration
The following charges are applicable for registering the birth.
| Duration | Charges |
| Registered within 21 days of birth | No charge |
| Registered after 21 days of birth | Rs.2 |
| Registered after 30 and within 1 year of birth | Rs.5 |
| Registered after 1 year of birth | Rs.10 |
Birth certificate Bihar: Format
Listed below, you can see the format
Source: Pinterest
Birth certificate Bihar: Importance
In India, birth certificates are regarded as the first right of a child and the first step towards establishing an identity. There are many benefits of obtaining a Birth certificate, which are as follows:
- Having a birth certificate is fundamental to a person’s right to individuality and the entitlements that go along with it, such as education, participation in community life, employment, and so on.
- A birth certificate must be issued immediately after birth under the Convention on the Rights of Every Child.
- This document provides many rights, including healthcare, nationality, voting, passports, visas for foreign visits, property ownership, formal employment, access to banking services, driving licenses, and claiming the right to marry after marriage age.
- All documents related to your identification, school and college courses, passports, and everything else related require birth certificates. Applying for anything else would be tedious if you did not have one since your age would always be questioned.
How are birth certificates beneficial for the nation?
- Registration is essential for national planning.
- For small areas, the civil registration records of births are essential to calculating accurate, complete and timely vital statistics, which are used to estimate population size.
- The data contained in birth certificates can be used for directing public health prevention and intervention strategies, conducting national surveillance, and conducting research.
- Without reliable info, policymakers have no rock-solid basis for their decisions. To be effective, a birth registration system must be in place. Governments run blind when they make decisions without enough information, relying instead on ideologies, anecdotes, or political factors.
- The data is essential for enhancing the quality of healthcare services.
- For civil registration to go forward more quickly, information technology must be used to enhance access to, collection of, and storage of birth registration data. Currently, many registration systems are paper-based.
Why are birth certificates still not given so much importance?
- Trouble in birth registration due to a lack of awareness.
- The system is not being improved due to a lack of infrastructure or political motivation.
- Registration of girls is limited in an Indian cultural context because of gender bias.
- Many members of the migrant community are unable to obtain birth certificates due to their lack of proper identification.
- Birth certificates are replaced with Pan cards, Aadhar cards, election cards, and ration cards.
- The registration process is complicated for people who are in vulnerable situations.
The legal recognition of an individual begins with their birth being recorded in a public registry. Several fundamental human rights may be restricted by failing to properly register a person’s birth at the beginning of their legal existence.
Moreover, undocumented minors are more likely to become victims of trafficking and to be prosecuted as adults. In addition to serving as evidence of age, registration protects minors from exploitative practices, such as child labour, child marriage, unlawful adoption, sexual exploitation, and military service.
Therefore, Birth certificates are essential, which also facilitate planning and pursuing long-term solutions, as well as tracing and family reunions that are more immediate. Last but not least, every child deserves to be born in a country and given citizenship rights.
FAQs
What if I was born in Bihar but never received a birth certificate?
If you do not have your birth certificate, please get in touch with the Bihar government's relevant office.
How to apply online for a birth certificate of Patna?
You can apply quickly for a Bihar birth certificate online by visiting the official portal.
If I have no birth record, how can I obtain a copy of my birth certificate?
When there is no birth record with the local civil registrar's office, a Late Registration of Birth application can be filed.
Does a passport require a birth certificate?
Birth certificates must be presented as identification to applicants born after January 26, 1989, for passports.
Is the certified true copy the same as the original?
Accurate copies of official documents may only be called certified true copies if they have undergone a rigorous examination and verification process. They prove that an essential document was copied without any alterations or interference.