Guwahati, Aug 1 (IANS): The Assam government on Monday launched 'Bhumiputra', an initiative to digitally deliver caste certificate to students studying in different schools across the state.

Speaking at a function here, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the manual system of issuing caste certificates in Assam will be discontinued.

From August 8 onwards, the deputy commissioners of the districts will provide the format of application for caste certificates to the heads of the educational institutions. They will fill up the formats for their onward submission to the deputy commissioner who will then forward the same to the boards of their respective caste or tribe.

The DC will then convene a meeting with the boards to decide on the protocol for issuing caste certificates to the students. The application may be sent for further verification if any doubt in the process crops up. The certificates will be available in the Digi locker under the IT Act, digitally signed by the respective deputy commissioners.

A government official informed that from next year onwards, students from Class VIII can apply for caste certificates through this portal which will also be lined with a government dashboard to enable the Chief Minister's Office to monitor the entire process.