This blog tells us the significance of registering your Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) on the MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) portal. Discover why it's a vital step for ensuring legal compliance, improving document security, and simplifying your interactions with MCA for various transactions and filings.

The government’s move to make all its administrative procedures and regulatory requirements online and digital has been a resounding success. And the online portal of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs or the MCA is a shining example of this success. Not only are these services available online but are being actively used by all stakeholders effectively. People are Incorporating companies and fulfilling annual compliances with relative ease through the online process. Moving the procedures and formalities online was mostly straightforward except for one part. The part where the signature of the applicant or the person submitting the compliance forms. The forms can be filled online. The required documents can be uploaded and verified online. But how is it possible for a person to sign a form online? It was for this purpose that the concept of digital signatures was introduced. So what exactly is a digital signature and how to register DSC on MCA and how does it work on the website. Let’s find out.

What is DSC?

DSC or Digital Signature Certificate Online is a secure means of authenticating the documents that are filed electronically.

Companies or LLPs (Limited Liability Partnerships) filing documents electronically on the MCA21 e-Governance portal are required to use digital signatures of the authorised person/s to complete the e-filing process and sign off on the forms where necessary.

The digital signature is not like the regular signature. It is a password protected digital file that authenticates the identity of the person online. These Digital Signature Certificates are issued by the agencies appointed by the office of the Controller of Certification Agencies (CCA) under the provisions of IT Act, 2000. However, these have a validity of one year and two years and are easily renewable upon expiry.

There are three classes of DSCs issued by CCA.

Class 1

These certificates are issued to individuals or private subscribers for both business and private use. This class of certificate is issued to confirm that the user name and other contact details lie within the database of the certifying authority. It is used to sign transactions that do not require high security.

Class 2

The class 2 signature certificates are issued for the purpose of filing e documents such as IT return, Registrar of Companies filings, etc. and are mandatory for individuals/signatory authorities for the purpose of e-filing.

Class 3

Vendors/ government entities like the Railways, Banks, etc who wish to participate in E-auctions/E-tenders anywhere in India must have a Class 3 digital signature certificate.

What Is The Role Of MCA?

MCA or Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, looks after the administration of the Companies Act 2013, the Companies Act 1956, the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 & other allied Acts along with promoting and sustaining competition in the market. Indeed, its other responsibilities include administration of Partnership Act, 1932, the Companies (Donations to National Funds) Act, 1951 and Societies Registration Act, 1980. 

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs also supervises the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI).

Register DSC on MCA

Now that we have highlighted the role and importance of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Digital Signature Certificate, let us discuss further why it is necessary to register DSC on MCA.

• Any type of e-filing of documents or returns filed with the Government related to Income Tax, Registrar of Companies filings, etc. requires a Class 2 DSC (as discussed above). 
• This makes it mandatory for any Director or Partner of a company or any professionals like Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, etc. falling under the ambit of MCA to register the DSC before filing any e-documents on the MCA portal.
• Annual returns of a company require DSC of the Director or Partner of the company. Hence, it is mandatory to register the same on the MCA portal. However, these individuals will not be able to file their annual returns if their DSC is not registered.

Steps To Be Followed To Register DSC On MCA

Login to MCAs official website portal 

1. Click on “MCA Services” and further select “Associate DSC”. A dropdown will appear with a list of options asking you to choose the role of the person whose DSC is being registered, such as director, practising professional or authorised representative.
2. Select the relevant option from the drop-down menu. The option should best describe the role of the person registering the DSC on the portal.

In case of Register DSC on MCA as a Director/Designated Partner:

1. Select ‘Director’ in case of Director/Designated Partner to update DIN (Director Identification Pin)/DPIN details.
2. System will verify and approve the DIN if filled incorrectly. Else, it will be rejected.
3. Fill in the Personal Details (as provided in the DIN application) and click “Next”
4. If the details provided match the details as provided in the DIN application, the next step will be to click on ‘Select Certificate’ to select the DSC.
5. System will validate the DSC with the details provided. Click on the ‘I Agree’ button after typing in the text for verification and the ‘Submit’.
6. Finally, an acknowledgement message will be displayed indicating the successful registration of DSC on MCA for Director/Designated Partner.

In case of Registering DSC on MCA as a Practising Professional:

1. Select ‘Practising Professional’ from the drop-down menu and fill in all the requisite details like the Membership Number and the Institute, etc.dsc
2. System will validate and approve this information and would prompt you to enter the Income Tax PAN.
3. Once the PAN is verified, click on ‘Select Certificate’ to select the DSC
4. System will validate the DSC with the details provided. Click on the ‘I Agree’ button after typing in the text for verification and the ‘Submit’.
5. Finally, an acknowledgement message will be displayed indicating the successful registration of DSC on MCA.

FAQs on Registering DSC On MCA Portal:

Conclusion – Why Register DSC on MCA?

The DSC is an excellent solution to what seemed like a dead-end problem when it came to digitising government’s administrative and regulatory procedures online. The only drawback is that since the digital signature is a file, it can be stolen and the password can be hacked. So it is advisable to keep the file or the pen drive containing the file safely in a secure location and change the password periodically. These basic precautions can help reduce the effort, time and resources that would be otherwise spent on personally executing these compliances. If you have any other queries or require assistance with any legal or regulatory matters, get in touch with us and we will ensure that your concerns are addressed by our team of qualified and experienced professionals. We hope this article about why is it necessary to register DSC on MCA has explained clearly.

Also Read:

• What is a Digital Signature and how does it work?
• What is the problem with Digital Signature?
• What is typical digital certificate content?