Class 3 signing
Individuals, directors, CAs
Tax and company filings, EPFO, tenders and GeM, trademark and reissue.
₹1,200/ 2 years
DSC for GeM seller registration: do you really need one?
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If you sell to the government through GeM, you will run into the DSC question early. Some sellers are told a certificate is compulsory, others sign bid after bid with an OTP and never buy one. Both can be right, because GeM treats foreign and domestic sellers differently, and the portal accepts more than one way to sign. This post sets out who actually needs a Class 3 DSC for GeM, what the alternatives are, and how getting one from us works.
What GeM asks for
GeM is the Government e-Marketplace, where sellers and service providers register, submit bids and sign contracts. Signing a bid or a contract needs a Class 3 signing DSC, registered under the seller profile on the portal. The certificate sits in the name of the person who owns the seller account.
There is one group for whom there is no choice. Foreign sellers must sign with a DSC. Domestic sellers get a choice: an OTP on the Aadhaar linked mobile, an eSign, or a DSC. Our DSC for the GeM portal page carries the full picture, including the buyer side of the marketplace, where officers publish bids and contracts and where a DSC is again a choice rather than a mandate.
When OTP is enough and when it is not
A domestic seller who bids once in a while can stay on OTP or eSign and never feel the lack of a certificate. The OTP arrives on the linked mobile, you enter it, and the bid is signed. Nothing to buy, nothing to carry.
The DSC starts paying off when bidding turns regular. The OTP routine gets old when you sign several bids a week, and it ties signing to one mobile number being in reach. A certificate on a USB token signs from any computer with the token plugged in. The other reason sellers buy one is consolidation. The same Class 3 signing DSC that signs a GeM bid also signs GST returns, MCA forms and EPFO filings, so one purchase covers every portal instead of a separate signing arrangement on each.
Which DSC fits
For the seller side of GeM, the answer is Class 3 signing. Organisation sellers take it in the company or firm name with an authorised signatory, proprietors take it in their own name. Current prices sit on the Class 3 DSC product page, which is also where you order.
One detail worth knowing before you order: the GeM account separates a primary user, who owns the seller account and in whose name the certificate is registered, from secondary users, who are added by the primary user and sign on behalf of the seller. Decide who the primary user is first, because the certificate has to carry that person’s name.
How to get it from us
We are a Registration Authority (RA) for VSign, Capricorn, eMudhra, Sify, nCODE and PantaSign. These CCA-licensed Certifying Authorities issue the certificates. Application support is included in the price.
You order and pay on the site, and then we contact you. Send your documents on WhatsApp or by email, or bring them to our office, and we fill and submit the application for you. You do the Aadhaar OTP and the video KYC with the Certifying Authority, and we assist you at every step. The certificate arrives on a USB token, delivered or picked up from the office.
How to register it on the portal
Once the certificate is on your token, you register it on GeM yourself. Log in to the seller account, open the DSC option under the seller profile settings, pick the certificate from the plugged in token and enter the PIN. We do not register certificates on portals for customers, since the portal account belongs to you, but we assist you at every step. Portal steps change from time to time, so confirm the current path on GeM itself before you start.
Renewal before it expires
A DSC carries a validity of one to three years. When it lapses, GeM stops accepting signatures from it, and bids signed after expiry will not go through. Get the reissue before the expiry date and register the new certificate on GeM the same way as the first one. Each portal where the old certificate was registered needs the new one added separately, so work through your list: GeM first, then GST, MCA and wherever else the certificate is mapped.
The certificate for this work
Frequently Asked Questions
Look through the answers below. If yours is not there, message us and we will help you choose.
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Is a DSC mandatory for GeM seller registration?
It depends on who you are. A foreign seller must sign with a DSC. A domestic seller can sign with an OTP on the Aadhaar linked mobile or with an eSign, and many sellers start that way before they buy a certificate.
Can a domestic seller use OTP instead of a DSC?
Yes. GeM lets a domestic seller sign with an OTP or an eSign. A DSC becomes worth it when you bid often, when the OTP routine slows you down, or when you want one certificate for GeM and the other portals you file on.
How do I register my DSC on GeM?
Log in to your GeM seller account, open the DSC option under the seller profile settings, and add the certificate from the plugged in token with its PIN. The registration is yours to do on the portal.
Can I use the same DSC for GeM and other portals?
Yes. The same Class 3 signing DSC works on GeM, GST, MCA, EPFO and the tender portals. Each portal registers it once, on its own, so plan on repeating the step everywhere you file.