When your NGO registers on DARPAN, it receives a Unique DARPAN ID — an alphanumeric identifier that the Government of India uses to verify your organisation's existence, legitimacy, and activity record before releasing grants, approving FCRA applications, or validating CSR-1 registration.
For Odisha NGOs, the DARPAN ID format is: OR/[Year]/[7-digit number] — for example, OR/2026/1103919 (JaBaSu Trust's DARPAN ID).
Why DARPAN Is Not Optional
Technically, DARPAN registration is not mandated by a single law. Practically, it is indispensable because it is required for:
1. Government grants and scheme implementation: All Central Ministry grant programmes (Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, NABARD, etc.) require a DARPAN ID before processing grant applications. The Ministry of Finance has directed all Central Ministries not to release grants to NGOs without a verified DARPAN ID.
2. FCRA registration and renewal: The Ministry of Home Affairs requires a DARPAN ID for all FCRA-related services — registration (Form FC-3A), prior permission (Form FC-3B), renewal (Form FC-3C), and annual return (Form FC-4). Without a DARPAN ID, the FCRA online portal (fcraonline.nic.in) will not process your application.
3. CSR-1 registration: The MCA's revised CSR-1 form (effective 14 July 2025) requires a valid DARPAN ID as a mandatory field. No DARPAN ID = no CSR-1.
4. RNPO registration: The Income Tax e-filing portal Form 10A (for RNPO / 12A-equivalent registration under Section 332 of IT Act 2025) requires a DARPAN ID. Missing this field will prevent form submission.
5. Corporate due diligence: An increasing number of corporate CSR teams and foundations use the DARPAN portal to verify NGO credentials before entering partnerships or making donations. An NGO without a DARPAN ID raises immediate credibility questions.
It is free, online, and takes 7-15 days. There is no fee for DARPAN registration. Given that it is a prerequisite for virtually every formal funding relationship, not registering is simply not a rational choice for any serious NGO.
Who Can Register on DARPAN?
Any legally registered non-profit organisation in India:
- Public Charitable Trusts (registered under Indian Trusts Act, 1882 or state Public Trust Acts)
- Societies (registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 or state equivalents)
- Section 8 Companies (registered under Companies Act, 2013)
You need a Trust/Society/Section 8 registration and a PAN before you can register on DARPAN. DARPAN registration is Step 3 in the post-registration sequence — it cannot be done before your legal entity exists and has a PAN.
What You Need Before Starting
Gather all of this before you visit ngodarpan.gov.in — having everything ready reduces errors and avoids abandoning an incomplete profile:
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation PAN | Trust/Society/Company PAN (not personal PAN) |
| Registration Certificate | Registered Trust Deed / Societies Registration Certificate / MCA Certificate |
| Registration Number | Sub-Registrar registration number (for trusts); Society registration number; or MCA CIN (for Section 8) |
| Organisation email address | A dedicated email for the trust/society — not a personal Gmail. Ideally @yourorg.org |
| Organisation mobile number | A dedicated mobile number for the organisation |
| Bank account details | Account number and IFSC (opened in the organisation's name) |
| Key members (minimum 3) | Name, date of birth, designation, mobile number, Aadhaar number of each |
| Work areas | The sectors and geographies where your NGO works (required for the profile) |
| Source of funds | Primary expected funding sources (government grants, individual donations, CSR, etc.) |
The 3-member Aadhaar requirement is critical. As of the April 2026 DARPAN portal update, Aadhaar-based authentication is mandatory for at least 3 key members. All three must be available for OTP verification on their registered Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers during registration. Schedule this when all three are available simultaneously.
Step-by-Step Registration Process
Step 1 — Visit the Portal
Go to ngodarpan.gov.in (the correct URL — note: not ngo.india.gov.in, which redirects here but may have different landing pages). The portal is managed by NITI Aayog through NIC.
Step 2 — Create an Account
Click Login / Register → Sign Up.
Enter:
- Organisation name (exactly as in your registration document)
- Organisation PAN
- Organisation email address
- Organisation mobile number
You will receive separate OTPs on both the email and mobile. Enter both to complete Sign Up.
Important: Each email address and mobile number can only be linked to ONE NGO on the portal. Use dedicated organisation email and mobile — not your personal ones which may already be used for other registrations.
Step 3 — Complete the Organisation Profile
After signing in, you will see an incomplete profile dashboard. Fill all sections:
Organisation Details:
- Legal name (as in registration document)
- Type of organisation (Trust / Society / Section 8 Company)
- Registration Act under which registered
- Registration Number
- Date of registration
- PAN
- Address (registered office)
- Website (if any)
- FCRA details (if already registered — enter here; otherwise skip)
Key Members: Add at least 3 key members with:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Designation (Managing Trustee, Trustee, Secretary, etc.)
- Mobile number (Aadhaar-linked)
- Aadhaar number
All 3 members will be authenticated via Aadhaar OTP during this step — ensure all are available.
Source of Funds: Tick the applicable funding sources your organisation expects: Individual donations, Government grants, CSR, FCRA, etc.
Work Areas: Select the sectors (Education, Health, Women Empowerment, etc.) and geographical areas (Odisha districts, or national) where your organisation works or plans to work.
Bank Account Details: Enter the organisation's bank account number and IFSC code. This must be the account in the organisation's own name — not a personal account.
Step 4 — Upload Documents
Upload scanned copies of:
- Registration Certificate (Trust Deed / Society Certificate / MCA Certificate)
- PAN Card of the organisation
- Photographs of key members (passport size, usually required)
File formats: PDF or JPEG. Size limits apply — keep documents below 2MB per file for smooth upload.
Step 5 — Submit for Verification
Click Submit. The portal administrator (NITI Aayog / NIC) reviews the submitted documents and profile. You will receive an email when verification is complete.
Timeline: 7-15 working days from complete profile submission. From April 2026, a 30-day completion window applies — if the profile is not completed within 30 days of initial sign-up, you may need to start again.
Step 6 — Generate the DARPAN ID
After receiving the verification email, log in and click "Generate Unique ID." Your DARPAN ID is now active. Download and save the DARPAN certificate — you will need it for every subsequent registration and grant application.
After Registration — Keeping Your DARPAN Profile Current
A DARPAN registration is not a one-time formality — it is an active profile that funders and government departments check. Maintain it by:
Updating key members: When trustees/directors change, update the DARPAN profile within 30 days. An outdated profile with departed trustees creates due diligence problems.
Uploading annual reports: Upload your organisation's annual activity report and audited accounts to DARPAN each year. Funders who check DARPAN before approving grants look for active, current profiles — a profile showing no updates for 3 years is treated as suspect.
Updating bank account: If your bank account changes (new bank, new account number), update DARPAN immediately. Grant payments and FCRA-related transfers are linked to the DARPAN-registered bank account.
Updating FCRA details: When you eventually get FCRA registration, link it to your DARPAN profile. Similarly, link your RNPO number (from the RNPO/12A-equivalent certificate) once received.
Common Problems and Solutions
"PAN not found in database" during Sign Up: Your trust PAN must be registered and active in the Income Tax database before DARPAN will accept it. If PAN was issued less than 24-48 hours ago, wait and try again. If the problem persists, verify PAN status at incometax.gov.in.
"Email/Mobile already registered": The email or mobile you are trying to use is already linked to another NGO on the portal. Use a different, dedicated email and mobile for your organisation.
Profile stuck in "Verification Pending" for more than 20 days: Contact NITI Aayog's DARPAN helpdesk — the contact details are on the ngodarpan.gov.in portal. In 2026, portal maintenance windows occasionally cause delays. Track NITI Aayog's website for any scheduled maintenance notices.
Aadhaar OTP not received during key member authentication: Ensure the Aadhaar number entered matches the Aadhaar-registered mobile number. If the Aadhaar is linked to an old mobile number, update the Aadhaar first at the nearest Aadhaar enrolment centre.
JaBaSu's DARPAN Experience
JaBaSu Trust's DARPAN ID (OR/2026/1103919) was obtained in 2026 following PAN receipt and bank account opening. The process took approximately 10 working days from complete profile submission to ID generation. The most time-consuming step was coordinating the Aadhaar OTP authentication for all three key members simultaneously.
Last verified: June 2026. Portal: ngodarpan.gov.in (NITI Aayog / NIC). Registration is free. The April 2026 update introduced stricter Aadhaar-based authentication and a mandatory 30-day profile completion window. For current portal status and any technical issues, check ngodarpan.gov.in or the NITI Aayog website.
JaBaSu Knowledge Commons · jabasu.org/knowledge/guides