Application for a duplicate marksheet or certificate
Lost or damaged certificate, and what to attach.
Template: fill in the [brackets] with your own details.
Why it works this way
- Exam, year and roll number are how boards search their records.
- Stating lost vs damaged matters — a damaged original is often asked to be surrendered.
- Enclosures listed in the letter itself, so nothing is missed.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the roll number or the year of the exam.
- Not checking the board's process first — some boards accept online applications only.
- Sending original documents instead of copies.
Do I need an FIR or an affidavit? It depends on the board — some ask for an affidavit for a lost certificate, some do not. Check the board's website or office first, and attach only what they ask for.
After you apply
Keep the fee receipt and a copy of your application. Duplicate certificates usually take weeks in most boards, so apply as soon as you notice the loss — not when a job or admission deadline arrives. When the duplicate reaches you, check your name, marks and year at once; a mistake found early is fixed early.
Online or offline: check first
Many boards and universities now accept duplicate-certificate applications online: you upload your ID proof, pay the fee online, and get an acknowledgement number to track the case. Others still need an office visit with a filled form, a fee challan and ID copies. Check the board's website first, because applying through the wrong channel wastes weeks.
Either way, keep the acknowledgement or receipt number safe — it is the only way to follow up. Timelines differ by board, so ask at the counter or check the website for the expected time, and follow up once, politely, if that time has passed.
Mistakes that cost months
Three mistakes cost applicants months. First, applying to the wrong office — the board that conducted the exam, not the school, issues duplicates in most cases. Second, sending the fee short or through the wrong mode — check the exact fee and payment mode on the board's website before you pay.
Third, a name mismatch: if your name on the application differs from the name in school records (after marriage, for example), enclose the supporting document that links the two names. Boards reject mismatched applications without explanation, and a re-application starts the wait all over again.
While you wait
Do not plan an admission or job deadline around the duplicate's arrival — timelines slip, and boards rarely hurry for individual cases. If the expected time has passed, follow up once, politely, quoting your acknowledgement number. Repeated calls do not speed up a queue, but one well-timed follow-up with the right number does get your file looked at.