Two birth dates, two birthplaces sink Army cadet’s plea to change CBSE records

4 min readNew DelhiJun 5, 2026 03:30 PM IST

Army cadet with two birth certificate sought correction of his DOB in the CBSE records.

The Delhi High Court has dismissed an Army cadet’s plea seeking correction of his date of birth in CBSE records, holding that the request was made after eight years of issuance of his Class 10 certificate and that he relied on his two contradicting birth certificates showing two different dates and places of birth.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that, given the two contradicting birth certificates, the appellant should first have the discrepancy resolved by the competent authority and thereafter approach CBSE for correction.

“The claim of the appellant is that his correct DOB is 14.09.1999. In the first certificate, it is described as 14.09.2000 whereas, in the second certificate it is described as 14.09.1999. …instead of rushing to the Court, correction in the birth certificate… sought by the appellant by approaching the appropriate authority under Section 15 of the Act, 1969 and thereafter prayer could have been made to CBSE to incorporate such correction in the certificate issued by it,” the June 4 order noted.

Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia heard a matter over correction of the Army cadet’s DOB in CBSE records.

One man, two different birth certificates

The appellant is an Indian Army Cadet who graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA) and joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in the year 2021-22.

He had sought correction in his date of birth in CBSE records from 14 September 2000 to 14 September 1999 and requested a fresh Class 10 certificate.

His first certificate was registered on December 7, 2002, and his place of birth was mentioned as Police Quarters, Naraina.

The second birth certificate was issued on November 26, 2023, and the place of birth was recorded as Jaipur Golden Hospital.

His CBSE Class 10 certificate was issued in 2016, and his date of birth was mentioned as September 14, 2000.

The single judge of the court dismissed his plea, holding that CBSE guidelines allowed such changes within one year of declaration of results.

Correction plea filed after eight years

The appellant had argued that his actual date of birth, September 14, 1999, was reflected in the certificate issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and also in the passport issued in his name earlier.

He contended that the one-year limitation for seeking correction in date of birth was only applicable before CBSE, and that does not bar this court from granting him relief in the petition instituted by him.

The opposite party had argued that he did not approach CBSE for correction of his date of birth within the one year to get it rectified.

The single judge, while dismissing his plea, observed that he had sought correction after eight years of issuance of the certificate, and therefore, no direction to CBSE could be issued to alter his date of birth in the records.

First get two birth certificates dispute resolved: Court

The Delhi High Court found that both the certificates were issued under the relevant provisions of the Delhi Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 1999, framed under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.

The court noted that the appellant relied on two contradictory birth certificates that recorded different dates and places of birth, and recommended that he should first get the discrepancy in his birth records resolved before the competent authority under the law and only thereafter approach CBSE for correction in records.

The appellant did not move to CBSE or his school seeking correction of his date of birth within the one-year provision of CBSE, the court said and agreed with the single judge’s observation that the petition could not be used to bypass a limitation period that has already expired.

The court, while dismissing the plea, provided an alternative that the appellant could obtain a declaration from a competent civil court regarding his correct date of birth.

Somya Panwar works with the Legal Desk at The Indian Express, where she covers the various High Courts across the country and the Supreme Court of India. Her writing is driven by a deep interest in how law influences society, particularly in areas of gender, feminism, and women’s rights.

She is especially drawn to stories that examine questions of equality, autonomy, and social justice through the lens of the courts. Her work aims to make complex legal developments accessible, contextual, and relevant to everyday readers, with a focus on explaining what court decisions mean beyond legal jargon and how they shape public life.

Alongside reporting, she manages the social media presence for Indian Express Legal, where she designs and curates posts using her understanding of digital trends, audience behaviour, and visual communication. Combining legal insight with strategic content design, she works on building engagement and expanding the desk’s digital reach.

Somya holds a B.A. LL.B and a Master’s degree in Journalism. Before moving fully into media, she gained experience in litigation and briefly worked in corporate, giving her reporting a strong foundation. ... Read More

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