India Document Centre

Recommendation Letter

Two letters from professors or supervisors who can evaluate your academic and personal capability.

Where to obtain it in India

Your professors, HOD, principal or employer

Processing time

2–6 weeks — start early

Approximate cost

Free

Costs are indicative Indian market estimates and vary by state, institution and urgency.

Common mistakes

  • Generic letters
  • No official letterhead
  • Recommender email is a personal ID rather than institutional
  • Envelope not signed across the seal

Checklist before submission

  • Name matches your passport exactly, including initials expanded the same way
  • Original plus the number of copies required by your track's checklist
  • English translation attached where the original is not in English
  • Apostille or attestation completed where the guideline requires it
  • Scan is colour, full-page, legible and under the portal's file size limit
  • Document is within any validity window stated in the guideline

Sample and template

Formatted templates and annotated samples for this document are collected in the download centre, alongside the official NIIED forms.

Open the download centre
Official InformationExpert Advice
Official source:
NIIED GKS guideline document checklist; issuing authority procedures in India
Applicable cycle:
GKS 2027 cycle
Last updated:
2026-07-27
Version:
v1.0 — revision history maintained per guideline release