What is the existing procedure for issuing of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe certificates? Who is the competent authority to issue the same?

Caste certificates are issued by the concerned State Government authorized authorities. Each State Government/UT administration has laid down its own procedure for issuance of certificates. Efforts are being made to standardize the format of the certificate as far as possible.

Wherever feasible, efforts be made to issue the certificate in bilingual including the language (s) of the State. The Central Government accepts the certificates issued by the following authorities on the prescribed format:-
(1) District Magistrate / Additional District Magistrate/Collector/ Deputy Commissioner/Additional Deputy Commissioner/Deputy Collector/Ist Class stipendiary Magistrate/Sub Divisional Magistrate/Taluka Magistrate/Executive Magistrate/Extra Assistant Commissioner.
(2) Chief Presidency Magistrate/Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate/Presidency Magistrate.
(3) Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar and
(4) Sub-Divisional Officer of the area where the candidate and /or his family normally resides. 

Instructions have been issued recently vide 0.M.No.36011/1/2012- Estt.(Res.) dated 8th October 2015 providing that where a candidate belonging to a Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes is unable to produce a certificate from any of the prescribed authorities, he/she may be appointed provisionally on the basis of whatever prima-facie proof he/she is able to produce in support of his/her claim subject to his/her furnishing the prescribed certificate
within a reasonable time and if there is genuine difficulty in his/her obtaining a certificate, the appointing authority should itself verify his/her claim through the District Magistrate concerned.