Darpan Registration – NGO Darpan Portal Registration for Voluntary Organisations and NGOs

Q: What is the NGO-DARPAN portal?

A NITI Aayog and NIC platform maintaining a verified database of Indian NGOs, trusts, and societies. Registration at ngodarpan.gov.in generates a Darpan Unique ID required for Central Government grants and FCRA registration.

Q: Who must register on the NGO-DARPAN portal?

All voluntary organisations — trusts, societies, Section 8 companies — that seek Central Government grants, FCRA registration or prior permission, or participation in Central Government welfare scheme implementation.

Q: What documents are required for Darpan registration?

Registration certificate, PAN, chief functionary's Aadhaar and PAN, audited financials for 3 years, and activity description. All uploaded on the Darpan portal during registration.

Q: Is Darpan registration the same as FCRA registration?

No. Darpan is a domestic NGO database listing. FCRA registration authorises receipt of foreign contributions. A Darpan ID is a mandatory prerequisite for FCRA registration — but is not itself FCRA authorisation.

Q: Does the Darpan profile need to be updated annually?

Yes. Annual updates with latest financials, reports, and board changes are recommended. Active, current Darpan profiles are viewed more favourably in Central Government grant evaluations.

Mandatory NITI Aayog Darpan Registration for NGOs, Trusts, and Societies Seeking Central Government Grants or FCRA Registration

NGO-DARPAN (Database Administration and Reports for Nonprofits) is a portal developed by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to create a transparent, searchable database of voluntary organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), trusts, and societies operating in India. Registration on the NGO-DARPAN portal (ngodarpan.gov.in) is mandatory for all voluntary organisations that: (a) apply for grants-in-aid from the Central Government or receive Central Government funding; or (b) apply for FCRA registration or prior permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs. DARPAN registration generates a unique Darpan ID — which is now a prerequisite for most Central Government funding channels.

Our Darpan registration service assists NGOs, charitable trusts, societies, Section 8 companies, and other non-profit organisations in completing registration on the NGO-DARPAN portal — including document preparation, profile completion, verification of trustee/member details, and submission of activity descriptions. This service connects with our FCRA Registration service, for which a valid Darpan ID is a mandatory prerequisite.

Our Darpan Registration Services

New Darpan Portal Registration

End-to-end registration on the NGO-DARPAN portal (ngodarpan.gov.in) — entity profile creation, trustee/member details, activity categories, state coverage, and account verification.

Darpan ID Generation

Assistance in completing the full Darpan registration to generate the unique Darpan Unique ID — required for Central Government grant applications and FCRA registration and prior permission applications.

Organisation Profile Completion

Comprehensive profile setup on the Darpan portal — covering registration details (Trust, Society, Section 8 Company), area of activity, geographical reach, annual returns, and audited accounts upload.

Darpan Profile Update and Amendment

Assistance in updating an existing Darpan profile — addition of new trustees or governing board members, change of address, updated activity details, and annual return and audit report uploads.

FCRA Pre-Registration Darpan Setup

Complete Darpan portal registration for organisations preparing to apply for FCRA registration or prior permission — ensuring Darpan ID is in place before the FCRA application window opens.

Grant Application Darpan Compliance

Review and update of existing Darpan profiles to ensure full compliance with Central Government grant portal requirements — including PM CARES, PMNRF, MGNREGS, and Ministry grant scheme applications.

Why Darpan Registration Is Essential for NGOs

Mandatory for FCRA registration and prior permission — the Ministry of Home Affairs will not accept FCRA applications from organisations without a valid Darpan Unique ID
Required for all Central Government grant applications — including CSR grants from PSUs, Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of Women and Child Development, and other central schemes
Darpan ID improves organisational credibility — verified NGOs with complete Darpan profiles receive more favourable consideration from donors, CSR committees, and international funders
A publicly searchable profile on the NITI Aayog Darpan portal signals transparency and legitimacy to donors, beneficiaries, and government authorities
Darpan registration is free — the only cost is the time and effort to correctly complete the portal registration and maintain the profile annually
Enables participation in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme implementation, which requires verified NGO registration on the Darpan portal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NGO-DARPAN portal?

NGO-DARPAN is an online platform developed by NITI Aayog and NIC (National Informatics Centre) to maintain a standardised, searchable database of voluntary organisations, NGOs, charitable trusts, religious trusts, and societies operating in India. The portal enables Central Government ministries, departments, and public sector units to verify the credentials of NGOs before releasing grants or entering into implementation partnerships. Registration is at ngodarpan.gov.in and generates a unique Darpan ID for each registered organisation.

Who must register on the NGO-DARPAN portal?

All voluntary organisations — including registered societies, public charitable trusts, Section 8 companies, and other non-profit entities — that wish to: (a) apply for grants-in-aid or funding from Central Government ministries, departments, or public sector undertakings; (b) apply for FCRA registration or prior permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs; or (c) participate in Central Government welfare scheme implementation — must register on the NGO-DARPAN portal and obtain a Darpan Unique ID.

What documents are required for Darpan registration?

Darpan registration requires: certificate of registration (trust registration certificate, society registration certificate, or company incorporation certificate as applicable); PAN of the organisation; Aadhaar and PAN of the chief functionary (managing trustee, secretary, or managing director); audited financial statements of the past 3 years (or since registration if less than 3 years old); and a brief write-up of the organisation's activities, objectives, and geographical coverage. All documents are uploaded on the portal during registration.

Is Darpan registration the same as FCRA registration?

No. Darpan registration and FCRA registration are entirely separate processes. Darpan registration on the NITI Aayog portal grants a Darpan ID — which is a domestic database listing. FCRA registration with the Ministry of Home Affairs grants the organisation the right to receive foreign contributions from abroad. A Darpan ID is a mandatory prerequisite before applying for FCRA registration — but obtaining a Darpan ID does not itself authorise the organisation to receive foreign contributions.

Does the Darpan profile need to be updated annually?

Yes. Organisations registered on the NGO-DARPAN portal should update their profiles annually — uploading the latest audited financial statements, annual reports, and any changes in the governing board or address. Active and updated Darpan profiles are viewed more favourably by Central Government grant-givers. An outdated profile with stale financial data may result in grant applications being deprioritised or rejected at the verification stage.

Complete Your NGO-DARPAN Registration Today

Expert Darpan portal registration for NGOs, trusts, and societies — FCRA-ready Darpan ID in days.