The Darpan portal is the free online register of non-profit organisations run by NITI Aayog, the Government of India's policy body. Its official address is ngodarpan.gov.in. This website, Darpan Portal Guide, is an independent guide. It is not the official portal, it is not run by NITI Aayog or any ministry, and you never need to give us a password, OTP or document. We explain the steps in plain words so that you can do them yourself on the official site.
Most people know it as NGO Darpan or Darpan NGO portal. NITI Aayog's own page now calls it the NPO Darpan portal (NPO means non-profit organisation). It is the same system and the same address. When you sign up and your details are checked, the portal gives your organisation a Darpan ID, also called the Unique ID. Ministries, banks and the FCRA and income tax systems now ask for this number.
What is Darpan portal: NGO Darpan in simple words
NGO Darpan kya hai? Think of it as one national register of voluntary organisations (swayamsevi sanstha). Each trust, society or non-profit company fills one profile: registration details, PAN, office bearers, area of work and sources of funds. Government departments can then see who you are before they consider a grant.
The NITI Aayog Darpan portal was built with the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The Voluntary Action Cell of NITI Aayog looks after it. It does three jobs:
- Identity: a single Darpan ID for each organisation, generated by the system after verification.
- Directory: a public search of registered organisations by name, state or sector, which anyone can use for NGO Darpan verification.
- Link to grants: grant portals of ministries ask for the Darpan ID before they let an NGO apply.
The NGO Darpan official website is ngodarpan.gov.in. Type it yourself in the browser. Look for ".gov.in" at the end. Sites with names like "darpan portal com" or "ngo darpan org" are not the government site, and that includes this guide.
Who should register on the NGO Darpan portal
Only organisations can sign up, not individuals. The portal accepts:
- Public charitable trusts, registered with the sub-registrar or the state charity office.
- Societies, registered with the state Registrar of Societies.
- Section 8 companies (non-profit companies), registered with the Registrar of Companies under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
- Other non-profit bodies registered under a state Act, such as some state public trust Acts.
Registration on the Darpan portal of NITI Aayog is not a way to form an NGO. Your trust, society or company must already be registered and must have its own PAN. If you have not done that yet, start with NGO registration and the trust, society or section 8 comparison.
Do you have to register? As NITI Aayog states, the Darpan ID is required if you want grants from ministries or departments of the Government of India, for FCRA registration or renewal, and for 80G income tax registration. Under the latest Prevention of Money Laundering record rules, banks and other financial institutions must also collect the Darpan ID of non-profit clients to open and run accounts. In practice, almost every active NGO now needs one.
What you get: the Darpan ID
The main output of NGO Darpan NITI Aayog registration is the Unique ID. It has three parts separated by slashes: a two-letter state code, a four-digit year, and a seven-digit serial number. So it looks like XX/YYYY/NNNNNNN. Paste or type an ID below to see what each part means.
Keep this number safe. You will type it into grant portals, PFMS agency forms, the FCRA form, income tax forms for 80G, bank KYC forms and CSR partner forms. Our page on the Darpan ID explains where it is used and how to find it if you forgot it.
What does it cost
NGO Darpan is described in government guidance as a free facility of NITI Aayog. There is no government fee to sign up or to get the Darpan ID. You pay nothing on the portal itself. Your costs are for the papers you need before you start: trust deed or society registration, PAN, and a digital scan of each document.
Be careful with anyone who asks you to pay a "Darpan fee" or "NITI Aayog registration fee" into a personal account. The government does not collect such a fee. You can do the whole process yourself with a phone or computer, a working mobile number and an email ID.
The full NGO paperwork map
Darpan is only one step. New founders often mix up the portals. This table shows the usual order for a small NGO in India, which office handles each step, and where to read more on this guide.
| Step | What it is | Who handles it | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Legal registration | Trust deed, society MoA and rules, or section 8 licence and incorporation. Gives you a registration certificate (RC). | Sub-registrar or charity office, Registrar of Societies, or MCA and Registrar of Companies | Trust, society, section 8 |
| 2. PAN of the organisation | Permanent Account Number in the NGO's own name. Needed for the bank account and for Darpan. | Income Tax Department | Documents list |
| 3. Darpan ID | Sign up on ngodarpan.gov.in, fill the profile, get the Unique ID after verification. | NITI Aayog (NGO Darpan) | Darpan registration |
| 4. 12A and 80G (now sections 332 and 354) | Income tax registration so the NGO's income is exempt and donors can claim a deduction. Filed online on the income tax portal in Form 104 or Form 105 under the new Income-tax Act. | Income Tax Department | 12A and 80G |
| 5. CSR-1 | Registration to receive CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds as an implementing agency. | Ministry of Corporate Affairs | CSR-1 |
| 6. FCRA | Permission to receive foreign contribution. Has its own eligibility rules. | Ministry of Home Affairs | FCRA |
| 7. Grant portals | Ministry scheme portals, such as the Ministry of Social Justice grant portal, that use your Darpan ID. | The ministry that runs the scheme | MSJE grants |
You can get the Darpan ID before 12A and 80G. In fact, the 80G process asks for it, so it makes sense to finish Darpan early.
Quick paths: registration, login, certificate, search
New sign up
Open the official site, choose the sign up option, verify the NGO's mobile and email with OTPs, enter the organisation PAN and set a password. Then fill the profile tabs: NGO details, member details, key contact and activities. Full steps are on how to register on NGO Darpan, and the paper checklist is on Darpan documents.
Login
Your Login ID can be the organisation PAN, the registered mobile number or the registered email. If you forget the password, the portal sends an OTP to reset it. See NGO Darpan login for errors like "invalid user" or an OTP that does not arrive.
Proof of registration
Many funders ask for a "Darpan certificate". What NGOs usually share is a print or PDF of the profile page that shows the Unique ID. Read Darpan certificate download to know what the portal gives and what to send.
Search and verify
Want to check whether an NGO is registered before you donate or partner? Use the public directory on the portal, which lists organisations by state and by sector. Our NGO Darpan search guide shows how to read the result.
Profile fields people ask about
A few fields in the NGO Darpan form confuse first-timers. Here is what they mean, based on the official sign-up guide.
- Act Name: the law your organisation is registered under. Choose the Indian Trusts Act or your state public trust Act for a trust, the Societies Registration Act or your state version for a society, and the Companies Act for a section 8 company. The act name in NGO Darpan must match your registration certificate.
- Registered with: the office that registered you, such as the Registrar of Societies or Registrar of Companies.
- Type of VO/NGO: a drop-down list of organisation types. Pick the one that matches your RC.
- Source of funds: where your money comes from. The form asks it for each member and asks whether you received any government grant, with the purpose and financial year.
- Working area and key issues: the sectors you work in, such as education, health or women's development. Choose only what you really do.
- Best practices / activities: a short description of your main activities and achievements. Write facts: what, where, how many people.
Common problems and quick fixes
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| PAN not verified | The NGO name typed does not match the PAN record exactly | Type the name exactly as on the PAN card. If online check fails, the guide allows upload of a scanned PAN in PDF or JPG. |
| Profile stuck below 100% | A tab is not saved or fewer than the required office bearers are added | Open each tab and press Save. Add at least three office bearers with PAN and Aadhaar. |
| Unique ID not generated | Verification by the Darpan administrator is pending or documents were not accepted | Wait for the email, then log in to generate the ID. If nothing comes, recheck uploads and contact the helpdesk shown on the portal. |
| OTP not received | Wrong number, network delay, or DND filters | Wait a few minutes, check the number, try again. Check spam for the email OTP. |
| Grant portal says Darpan ID invalid | Typing format differs from what that portal expects | Check the portal's own instructions. Some ask you to replace each "/" with "_". |
More cases and fixes are on Darpan registration problems.
How to contact NGO Darpan
Use the contact or helpdesk details printed on the official portal itself. Numbers and email IDs copied on other websites are often old. NITI Aayog's Voluntary Action Cell page on niti.gov.in lists the officers who handle the NPO Darpan portal. For a scheme or grant question, contact the nodal officer of the ministry that runs that scheme, not NITI Aayog. Never share your password or OTP with anyone who calls you claiming to be from NGO Darpan.
If you are just starting, read CSR funding for NGOs after you have your Darpan ID, 12A and 80G. Funders look for all three.
Common questions
NGO Darpan is the national online register of voluntary organisations. NITI Aayog runs it through its Voluntary Action Cell, and it was built with NIC. NITI Aayog now also calls it the NPO Darpan portal. The official address is ngodarpan.gov.in.
Yes. Government guidance describes NGO Darpan as a free facility of NITI Aayog, and there is no fee to sign up or get the Darpan ID. You only need your existing registration papers, PAN and member details. Do not pay anyone who claims to collect a Darpan fee.
No. Darpan Portal Guide is an independent guide and is not linked to NITI Aayog or NIC. We never ask for passwords, OTPs or documents. To register or log in, type ngodarpan.gov.in in your browser.
It is required for grants from Government of India ministries, for FCRA registration and renewal, and for 80G, as NITI Aayog states. Banks must also collect it from non-profit clients under the money laundering record rules. So most working NGOs need it, even if they never take a grant.
Use the public search on the official portal. Look the NGO up in the directory and match the registration number, address and PAN details you were given. Our search guide explains what each field shows.
Use only the contact details shown on ngodarpan.gov.in, because numbers copied elsewhere change. For scheme questions, contact the nodal officer of the ministry concerned. No genuine helpdesk will ask for your password or OTP.
No. Only registered organisations such as trusts, societies and section 8 companies can sign up. You need the organisation's PAN and its registration certificate.