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Gazetted Officer AttestationReference format & guidance

Gazetted Officer Attestation Format

Reference format ยท Last reviewed September 2026

This is a reference format, not legal advice. The exact list of who qualifies as a "Gazetted Officer" for a given purpose, and exactly what wording is accepted, is decided by the exam/department you're submitting to. Always check their specific notification.

When You Need This

Many government exam and job applications ask for certain documents - often category certificates, photographs, or signature verification - to be attested by a Gazetted Officer rather than just self-attested. This means the officer has personally checked the copy against the original (or verified your identity) and signs and stamps it to confirm that.

Who Qualifies as a Gazetted Officer

Broadly, this means a government employee holding a rank formally notified as "Gazetted" in the Gazette of India or a state Gazette. Commonly accepted examples include:

  • IAS, IPS, IFS, and other All-India Service officers
  • Most Class I and Class II government officers
  • Bank managers of nationalised/PSU banks (accepted by some departments, not all)
  • Principals of government-recognised schools/colleges (accepted by some departments for specific purposes, not universally)

The exact accepted list genuinely varies by which exam or department you're submitting to - always check their specific notification for their accepted list before relying on any of the above.

Standard Attestation Wording

This is the commonly used wording a Gazetted Officer writes (in their own hand) on a photocopy to certify it as a true copy:

"Certified that this is a true copy of the original document."

 
Signature
[Name, Designation, Office Seal & Date]

For photo/signature verification, the commonly used wording is similar: "Photograph and signature of Shri/Smt. [name] verified." - again signed, sealed, and dated by the officer.

How to Get Documents Attested

  • Carry the original document along with the photocopy(ies) you need attested - the officer needs to compare them.
  • Approach a Gazetted Officer you know personally, or one at a government office who offers this service (many do, for genuine applicants).
  • Confirm your specific exam/department accepts the officer's category before relying on their attestation - re-doing this later wastes time.

Frequently Asked Questions

It means a Gazetted Officer has personally verified that a photocopy is a true copy of the original document, or that your photo/signature genuinely belongs to you, and has signed and stamped it to that effect - many government forms require this level of verification instead of a simple self-attestation.
Broadly, government employees holding a rank notified as "Gazetted" in the official Gazette of India or a state Gazette - commonly including IAS/IPS/IFS officers, most Class I and Class II government officers, bank managers of nationalised/PSU banks in some contexts, and similar posts. The exact accepted list varies by the exam/department you're submitting to - check their notification for their specific accepted list.
No - self-attestation is you signing your own photocopy declaring it's a true copy, while gazetted officer attestation requires an actual Gazetted Officer to verify and sign it. Many exams accept only self-attestation; some specifically require gazetted attestation for certain documents (often category certificates or photo verification) - check your specific notification.