A Digital Signature Certificate in India (DSC) is needed during the online submission of the documents by authorized individuals, guaranteeing their security and legitimacy. DSC is mandatory for all files on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal and is vital for online submissions, like company incorporation, LLP registration, and income tax e-filing. 

The Digital Signature is a kind of digital key issued by the certifying authority. It is used to verify and certify the identity of a person digitally. It is used to sign a document digitally. 

In addition to the above, the DSC contains all the details of a person, such as their name, pin code, email address, digital signature of a person and issuing authority name. Moreover, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs looks after the approval, issuance, and any discrepancy in the digital signature certificate. 

Types of Digital Signatures?

There are three types of digital signature certificates, which are given below:

 1. Signature

DSC Signed document validates its authenticity. DSC signed document can’t be tampered. It can also be used to sign a PDF, file ITR return, seal a deal, and for many other work.  

 2. Encrypted

Digital signature certificate in India is used for confidential data and documents. In order to protect the secrecy of the important documents, it is necessary to use DSC encryption in transmitting the documents.

3. Sign and Encrypt

It comprises both sign and encryption. It provides you both authenticity of the documents and maintain secrecy of the documents. Generally this kind of digital signature is used for filling up government applications or other important documents.   

Benefits of digital signature

• Easy and Quick Payment: You can use digital signature in making any deal, signing a contract. In addition to this, you can also easily prepare legal agreements, invoices or any other papers that takes too much because of ink signature. 

• Saves Both Cost and Time: Digital Signature is used to sign the documents during any official contract or agreement. In the pre- digitalization era, every partner of a contract or deal needed to sign the document separately, that was a time taking process. But, in this digital world, it has become very easy to authenticate any document online. Digital signature saves time, money and is done in a very smooth manner.

• Security Enhanced: Digital signing protects a document in comparison with ink signing. The digital signature making software makes sure that it is encrypted and can protect the document from getting tampered.

• Authenticity: Digital signature certificates in India provide legal validity. It also ensure the verification of the e-signature. It can be used in any court of law. Moreover, it also make it easy to track and archive documents as well as simplify compliance and audit.

• Validity: Digital signatures are also considered to be valid in future as well. Digital signatures have validity into the future with their long term signature formats.

Classes Of Digital Signature Certificates In India

There are 3 kinds of digital signature certificates issued by the certifying authorities. These are -

Class 1: Certificates

This kind of certificate is issued to the private individuals. It is used to verify the name and e-mail address of the user.

Class 2: Certificates

This type of digital signature certificate in India is issued to the organisations for the purpose of e-filing on various government websites, like Ministry Of Corporate Affairs (MCA) website, income tax website, GST website, etc.

Class 3: Certificates

Such kind of certificates are needed in online auctions and tenders all over India. All the firms that want to participate in online tenders require to have class 3 digital signature certificates.

Documents Required For Digital Signature Online

Here are the documents needed for Digital signature

The following documents are required for proof of identification:

• Passport
• PAN Card of the applicant
• Driving License
• Post Office ID card

Bank account passbook including the photograph with the signature of the applicant is also required for digital signature online. It must be attested by the concerned officer of the bank.

Photo ID card issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs

Any Government-issued photo ID card having the signature of the applicant

Address Proof Documents

• AADHAAR Card
• Voter ID Card
• Driving License /Registration Certificate
• Water Bill (Not older than 3 Months)
• Electricity Bill (Not older than 3 Months)
• Latest Bank Statements signed by the officer of the bank (Not older than 3 Months)
• Property Tax/ Corporation/ Municipal Corporation Receipt
• Attestation Officer Proof

All the documents mentioned above must be enclosed with the DSC Application Form while applying for a digital signature certificate in India