What is Rajpatra / Gazette Notification?

What is Rajpatra / Gazette Notification?

There is no difference between the actual meaning of Rajpatra (भारत का राजपत्र) and Gazette; both are the same thing. Then why do these two terms sound different? The answer is very simple—Rajpatra is the Hindi term that we call "Gazette" in English. There are differences in language and pronunciation. In India, the Gazette is also known as “Rajpatra” in Hindi, and Hindi is India's national language.

In simple words, Gazzate notification (Rajpatra ) is a weekly publication made by the Government, usually on every Saturday. Gazette Notification (Rajpatra) is an official weekly government publication that is usually released on every Saturday of a week. This is where important Gazette Notifications are published, and these are now also available on the e-Gazette portal (egazette.gov.in). It shares important official government updates which can be read by the general public online or in printed versions.

It is also very important to know why this Rajpatra (Gazette Notification) is so important. It is very important because, In this Rajpatra(Gazette notification) citizens from all over the country can publish important legal changes, like:

       
• Name change (नाम बदलना).
       
• Surname addition or removal (सरनेम लगाना / हटाना).
       
• Religion changes.
       
• Child’s name change.
       
• Other personal legal changes.
   

A Gazette Notification is a vital document and it serves as the ultimate legal document which is accepted by all the Government and private institutions of the country. Once published, a Gazzate notification is accepted by:

       
• Aadhaar (UIDAI).
       
• PAN.
       
• Passport office.
       
• Banks.
       
• Schools, colleges, and others.
       
• Government and legal authorities.
   

Please note Gazette notification serves as the ultimate legal document and by using this document you can update your name or surname on your other important official documents such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, voter ID, driving licence, employment records, and many more.

Earlier vs Now: Affidavit + Newspaper vs Rajpatra

Earlier in India most of the people used only:

       
• Notarized Name change Affidavit (एफिडेविट).
       
• Newspaper advertisements.
   

for legal name changes. But now if you want to legally change your name or surname for any purpose, you will have to compulsorily consider the Gazette/Rajpatra as the biggest and most important official “Government of India newspaper,” where your name change notice is published and permanently recorded. You must remember that until it is recorded and published in the Rajpatra (Gazette notification), your name change will not get any legal authenticity.

So practically: Affidavit + newspaper are still needed But final legal proof is now Gazette Notification or Rajpatra.

Central vs State Rajpatra – Which is Better?

At first we must realise that there are two levels:

       
• State Rajpatra – e.g., Bihar Gazette, Maharashtra Gazette.(These are state Gazzates)
       
• Central Gazette (भारत का राजपत्र) – via egazette.gov.in. (Central Gazzate).
   

It is very simple both are are legally valid, but in some special cases such as UPSC, central government jobs, or during certain recruitments, the authority clearly mentions that they want Central Gazette only. Why experts always insist all of us to go with the central Gazette. It has a reason. Because If someone first changes his name with the State Gazette and then updates his Aadhaar and PAN card it's acceptable but if that man later needs Central Gazette, then a problem will definitely arise: Because in India the Central Gazette often asks for two ID proofs in the old name, as the person has already updated all his IDs to the new name with the support of the state Gazette then it will be a paradoxical situation all together. The cause is simple: the old‑name IDs are no longer available with that particular person, but the central Gazette will ask for any two of them.

This is why experts generally recommend: Always prefer the Central Gazette first (if possible). You can do State Gazette, but Central is safer for future central jobs, exams, immigration, etc.

Basic Process: Rajpatra kaise banate hain?

1. Make an Affidavit (एफिडेविट)

Whatever the reason: Full name change. Religion changes. Surname add/remove. Divorce and surname removal. You must declare clearly everything in an affidavit, and it must be notarized. What are the main things that a name change affidavit must contain:

       
• Your old name → Your new name.
       
• Reason behind the name change.
       
• Your accurate date of birth, proof of residential address, etc.
   

This affidavit is needed to be made on a stamp paper and must be notarised by a notary public, in the presence of witnesses. If you are adding a surname that even your father doesn’t use, then: The same affidavit may need SDM (Sub‑Divisional Magistrate) attestation instead of only notary in some cases.

2. Give Advertisement in Newspaper:

After preparing the name change affidavit you will have to publish a name change advertisement in two newspapers, one in a national English daily and the other in your local newspaper. The name change ads usually includes:

       
• The Old name.
       
• Newly adopted name/surname.
       
• Residential address.
       
• A formal statement that you have changed your name at your own will.
       
• The affidavit creation date.
   

These newspaper clippings are mandatoryly needed for the Gazette application, so preserve them.

3. Prepare the Gazette File:

After these two steps you will have to apply for a Gazette notification, and a typical Gazette file is around 4–5 pages and generally includes: A formal request letter. Two witnesses’ proforma. Name change Affidavit. Newspaper clippings.(Of name change advertisement). A CD (in older/physical processes) or soft copy with the name change text. A certificate for the CD/text file as required. Now it can be done via online and the online systems these days take PDFs and Word files instead of physical CDs or Pen drives. But the logic remains the same: they need a clean soft copy of the content that will be printed in the Gazette.

4. Government Fees (Govt Charges):

This is approximate and can slightly vary, because:

       
• Normal name change / surname change: around ₹1100 for Central Gazette (adult).
       
• Correction cases (e.g., one document has wrong spelling of father/mother name, or only one certificate has mistake, rest are correct) – this is treated as correction / public notice, and has a different fee slab (often a bit lower or different category.
       
• Minor (under 18 years): usually higher fee than an adult correction, because it is a separate category (often around ₹1700 in Central Gazette).
   

There is also a special case: If an individual has two names running simultaneously (e.g., Suresh alias Sahil) and that individual wants to officially consolidate to one particular name (e.g., only Suresh), there may be an extra charge per additional alias. So for “Suresh alias Sahil” the first alias may be charged extra, and more aliases mean additional fee slabs. The exact fees actually depend on the Directorate of Printing rules and current year notifications in our country.

Where is Gazette Notification submitted?

In case of Central Gazette (भारत का राजपत्र): You can go in person to: Department of Publication, Civil Lines, Delhi–110054. Or you can submit your application through authorised agents. Or you can do it via online e‑Gazette upload (if available at your state or location).

In case of State Gazette (e.g., Bihar, Maharashtra, etc.), the applicant's file will go to the respective State Printing Press / e‑Gazette portal. Once the application is submitted correctly, and the applicable charges are paid and documents are up to the mark the concerned Gazette department will process the application.

How Long Does Gazette Take?

From the time complete file reaches the office: Typical time: 3–4 weeks (around 21–30 days) for the notification to appear in the weekly Gazette issue. Sometimes it can be faster or slower depending on workload or if any query is raised by the authority. Post approval the notification will be visible in PDF format on egazette.gov.in (in case of Central Gazette) or it can be seen on the respective state’s e‑Gazette website.

Old Name vs New Name – Important Practical Point:

Until the Gazette is published, all your Gazette work (affidavit, newspaper ads, forms, etc.) is done in your old name, because that is your current legal identity till Gazette is published. So: Both ID proofs you attach must generally be in the old name. When the Gazette notification comes out, you can use it to update your new name on your Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, among others. Please note, changing your IDs too early through the State Gazette may leave you without any ID in your old name when you apply for the Central Gazette later. That’s why careful planning is very important.

Rajpatra mein kitna kharcha aata hai?

For “राजपत्र में कितना खर्चा आता है?”, you can think of two parts: government Gazette fee and other supporting costs (affidavit + newspaper ads).

1. Government Gazette Fee (Central Gazette – भारत का राजपत्र):

Latest Central Gazette name change fee range:

Major reasons for a legal change of name include:

       
• Marriage: In India, many women update their surname or full name after marriage to adopt their spouse’s surname.
       
• Divorce: After divorce, women often revert back to their maiden name for personal, legal, or professional clarity.
       
• Astrological / Numerology reasons: In India many people modify spellings of their name or names depending upon their astrology or numerological beliefs.
       
• Religious conversion: When a person adopts a new religion, he or she may take a new name depending on his or her religious belief. In such cases people officially change their names.
       
• Gender change: After gender transition, people usually choose a name that aligns with their gender identity.
       
• Dislike of current name: If someone simply does not like their existing name, they are free to adopt a new one that suits their preference.
   

Summary:

       
• Rajpatra / Gazette Notification is the official government record of your legal name change.
       
• It is published every week, generally on Saturdays and now mainly available as e‑Gazette PDF.
       
• Process = Create name change Affidavit →Publish name change ads in two newspapers → file Gazette name change application → give the applicable fees → your name will be published once verification is positive.
       
• The Central Gazette is usually much safer than a State Gazette.
       
• Please note all the submitted documents for Gazette notification are in your old name, but once your new name is published in the Gazette, you can use it to update your important documents such as your Aadhar card, PAN card, passport, voter ID, driving license, bank accounts, and property card with your new name.
   

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