Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has released a government resolution (GR), announcing an extension of the deadline for Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates to submit their caste validity certificates (CVCs) by an additional three months.

This extension pertains to students who were admitted to professional courses, such as engineering and medicine, for the academic year 2024-25 but were unable to meet the original deadline set by the state government.

Government resolutions issued on July 22, 2024, and September 5, 2024, had granted a six-month extension for submitting certificates after admission to professional courses. However, several students were unable to meet the deadline, prompting the government to take further action.

The delay, according to experts, was due to shortage of manpower in the state for issuing CVCs. As per reports, there are only three officers for 36 districts in the state for issuing CVCs. These certificates are required for admission to standard XI science stream and for engineering, medical, and other professional courses.

As per the new directive, SEBC and OBC candidates will now have until the end of this extended period to submit their caste validity certificates. This three-month extension, however, provides a final opportunity for the students to complete the necessary documentation.

The government has made it clear that this will be the last chance for submission, and no further extensions will be granted. Failure to submit the required certificates by the final deadline will result in the invalidation of the student’s admission, with full responsibility resting on the candidates to ensure compliance.

The notification also instructs the educational institutions and district officials to effectively implement this decision and ensure that students are made aware of the new deadline.