A gazetted officer is a government employee whose appointment is officially notified — published — in the Gazette of India or the State Gazette, under the seal of the President or Governor. The practical power that comes with it: they can attest documents and photographs and verify copies for official purposes, which non-gazetted staff cannot. As a rule, all Group A and gazetted Group B posts are gazetted, while Group B (non-gazetted), C and D are not. It is about rank and authority, not just salary. This guide explains the distinction and how it maps to Group A/B/C/D.
By Pawan, Senior Editor — Government Services. Published 25 June 2026. Last verified 25 June 2026.
In short
- A gazetted officer is a government employee whose appointment is officially notified (published) in the Gazette of India or the State Gazette, under the seal of the President or Governor. A non-gazetted employee's name is not individually published.
- The practical power that comes with it: a gazetted officer can attest documents and photographs, and verify copies for official purposes. Non-gazetted staff cannot.
- As a rule, all Group A and Group B (Gazetted) posts are gazetted; Group B (Non-Gazetted), Group C and Group D are non-gazetted. Group B is the only group that splits both ways.
- It is about rank and authority, not just salary — and it is not the same thing as being a "Class I" or "officer-level" post in casual usage.
When you fill a government form, you often see a line that says "attested by a gazetted officer." When you read a recruitment notification, you see posts described as "Group A" or "Group B Gazetted." Both point to the same underlying idea — the gazetted vs non-gazetted distinction — but it is rarely explained clearly. This guide sets out exactly what makes an officer gazetted, what powers it carries, and how it maps onto the Group A/B/C/D classification you see in job notices.
What "gazetted" actually means
The Gazette of India (and each state's Gazette) is the government's official public journal. When the government appoints or promotes a senior officer, that appointment is formally published — "notified" — in the Gazette. An officer whose appointment appears there is, by definition, a gazetted officer.
These officers are appointed under the seal of the President (for central and union-territory services) or the Governor (for state services). Because the State has formally vested them with authority, they are recognised as official representatives of the government for certain functions — most visibly, attestation.
A non-gazetted employee does real, important work too, but their individual appointment is not notified in the Gazette, and they do not hold attestation authority.
The everyday power: attestation
The most common reason ordinary citizens encounter the term is document attestation. A gazetted officer is authorised to:
- Attest photocopies of original documents as true copies.
- Attest photographs on application and passport forms.
- Sign verification and character certificates where a notification requires a gazetted officer's endorsement.
This is why forms specify "attested by a gazetted officer" — it ensures the certifying person carries recognised official authority. A non-gazetted official's signature does not serve this purpose.
How it maps onto Group A, B, C and D
Government posts are classified into Groups A, B, C and (historically) D, and the gazetted status follows the group:
| Group | Pay Level (7th CPC) | Legacy class | Gazetted? |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Level 10–18 | Class I | Gazetted (all) |
| B | Level 6–9 | Class II | Both — Gazetted and Non-Gazetted sub-types |
| C | Level 1–5 | Class III | Non-gazetted |
| D | (merged into C/MTS) | Class IV | Non-gazetted |
The crucial nuance is Group B. It is not entirely gazetted: it splits into Group B (Gazetted) and Group B (Non-Gazetted), and whether a specific Group B post is gazetted depends on its recruitment rules. So you cannot simply say "all Group B officers are gazetted." Group A, by contrast, is always gazetted; Group C and D are always non-gazetted.
For the full breakdown of how the four groups are defined and which posts fall where, see our companion explainer on the difference between Group A, B, C and D posts. And because the classification now runs on pay levels, our guide to the 7th CPC pay matrix and pay levels shows exactly which level each group corresponds to.
Examples to make it concrete
- Gazetted (Group A): IAS, IPS and IFS officers, central engineering and medical service officers, and senior ministry posts. Their appointments are notified in the Gazette.
- Gazetted (Group B): posts such as Section Officers and certain Inspector-grade and Assistant-Section-Officer posts where the recruitment rules make them gazetted.
- Non-gazetted (Group C): clerks (LDC/UDC), tax assistants, constables, and most operative/technical staff.
- Non-gazetted (Group D / MTS): peons, attendants and routine-duty staff (now generally classed as Multi-Tasking Staff).
A common confusion to clear up
"Gazetted" is sometimes treated as a synonym for "officer" or "Class I," but the precise meaning is narrower: it is about whether the appointment is notified in the Gazette and whether the post carries the associated authority (such as attestation). A high salary alone does not make someone gazetted; a Group A or gazetted Group B rank does. Equally, plenty of responsible, well-paid government staff are non-gazetted.
One more point worth knowing: the old Group D class has, since 2008, largely been merged into Group C and re-designated Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in most central departments, though Railways and some states still use the Group D label. In all cases, those posts remain non-gazetted.
Why this matters for aspirants
If you are preparing for government exams, the gazetted/non-gazetted distinction tells you the rank, status and authority attached to a post — useful when comparing offers or planning a career path from a Group C entry toward gazetted Group B or A. It also explains the attestation lines on the very forms you submit. To understand the pay that comes with each rank, read about pay levels and salary; to see which posts sit in which group, read the Group A/B/C/D guide. To browse openings across all groups, start at the jobs board.
Gazetted vs Non-Gazetted: हिंदी सारांश
राजपत्रित अधिकारी (gazetted officer) वह होता है जिसकी नियुक्ति/पदोन्नति भारत के राजपत्र (Gazette of India) या राज्य राजपत्र में अधिसूचित होती है, और जिसे राष्ट्रपति/राज्यपाल की मुहर के तहत नियुक्त किया जाता है। इन्हें दस्तावेज़ों को सत्यापित (attest) करने का अधिकार होता है — इसलिए फॉर्म पर "gazetted officer से attest कराएँ" लिखा होता है। ग्रुप-A (सभी) और ग्रुप-B (राजपत्रित) राजपत्रित होते हैं; ग्रुप-B (अराजपत्रित), ग्रुप-C और ग्रुप-D अराजपत्रित होते हैं। ध्यान दें: पूरा ग्रुप-B राजपत्रित नहीं होता — यह दोनों श्रेणियों में बँटा है। 7वें वेतन आयोग के अनुसार ग्रुप-A = लेवल 10–18, ग्रुप-B = लेवल 6–9, ग्रुप-C = लेवल 1–5।