Caste certificate and caste validity certificate are two different things.

From past year, caste validity certificate is mandatory for students to take admission.

Caste certificate is one person's caste but a caste validity certificate is issued to validate caste certificate.

1- You will recieve caste validity certificate application form from SDM office

2- Submit it to the officer.

It may take a month or two to get your certificate.

You can apply anytime for the certificate