Sick Leave Certificate
Sick Leave Certificate Format (India) — Free Online Generator
Draft a properly formatted Indian sick leave medical certificate in your browser. The template follows the verbatim CAG Form 4 phrasing used by government servants and is accepted by most private-sector HR departments after a doctor's signature and stamp.
Draft certificate generator
Current format: Sick Leave Certificate
Visual style
(Single-paragraph certificate styled after CAG Form 4 / Kerala Rule 117)Share via WhatsApp after download.
Live PDF preview
Sick Leave Certificate preview · Narrative
Dr. Priya Menon
M.B.B.S., M.D. (General Medicine)
Reg. No.: KMC-48291 System: Allopathy
Consulting Hours: 9 AM – 6 PM (Mon – Sat)
Sample Family Clinic, Bengaluru
Karnataka, India
Sick Leave Certificate
I, Dr. Priya Menon (M.B.B.S., M.D. (General Medicine)), after careful personal examination of the case, hereby certify that Priya Nair, whose signature is given above, is suffering from Acute viral fever with weakness, and I consider that a period of 11/05/2026 to 13/05/2026 is absolutely necessary for the restoration of his/her health.
Advice & Instructions
Bed rest for 2 – 3 days. Monitor temperature. Resume work only after full recovery.
(Required)
Priya Menon
Signature of Medical Officer
Dr. Priya Menon
M.B.B.S., M.D. (General Medicine)
Reg. No.: KMC-48291
System: Allopathy
When you need a sick leave certificate in India
Most Indian employers require a written medical certificate when an employee's sick leave runs for more than two or three consecutive working days. The exact threshold is set by your state's Shops and Establishments Act and your company's HR policy. Government servants are covered separately by the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, and equivalent state rules such as Kerala Service Rules Part I, Rule 117. A medical certificate is also typically required when claiming Employees' State Insurance (ESI) benefits for the unpaid portion of sick leave, when applying for compensation under the Maternity Benefit Act, or when submitting documentation to schools and universities for excused absences.
What HR teams check on a sick leave certificate
Indian HR departments validate sick leave certificates by checking five fields that almost every certificate must include: • Doctor's full name with the prefix Dr. and qualification (M.B.B.S. minimum; a registered allopathic practitioner, or appropriate AYUSH registration for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy, or Yoga & Naturopathy). • Registration number issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) or the relevant State Medical Council — common state council prefixes include MMC (Maharashtra), KMC (Karnataka), TNMC (Tamil Nadu), DMC (Delhi), and PMC (Punjab). • Clinic or hospital name and address, with the official rubber stamp or seal applied next to the doctor's signature. • Diagnosis or nature of ailment written in clear language. Vague entries such as "not feeling well" are commonly rejected; "viral fever," "acute gastroenteritis," or "migraine" are accepted. • A specific rest period with start and end dates that aligns with the dates of the employee's absence.
The verbatim CAG Form 4 phrasing this template uses
Our sick leave template is aligned with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's prescribed Form 4 (Medical Certificate for Leave or Extension of Leave or Commutation of Leave) for non-gazetted government servants. The verbatim certifying phrasing is: "I, Dr. [Name], after careful personal examination of the case, hereby certify that [Patient], whose signature is given above, is suffering from [diagnosis], and I consider that a period of absence from duty of [N days] with effect from [date] is absolutely necessary for the restoration of his/her health." The patient's signature appears at the top of the certificate, which is why the phrase "whose signature is given above" follows the patient's name. This is the standard Indian government convention and is also used by Kerala Service Rules Part I, Rule 117 and the NIT Calicut student medical certificate format.
Common reasons sick leave certificates get rejected
Even valid certificates can be rejected by HR if they have any of the following defects: • Missing or illegible doctor registration number. Always print this number clearly under the doctor's signature. • Missing official clinic or hospital seal. The seal is the strongest visual proof of authenticity in India. • Dates that do not match the employee's actual absence dates. • Issued by a practitioner who is not registered with NMC or the relevant State Medical Council. • Diagnosis written so vaguely that it cannot be evaluated (e.g., "weakness" with no specific cause). • Certificate issued by a system of medicine inconsistent with the doctor's registration (an Ayurvedic practitioner cannot issue an Allopathic certificate).
Legal context — why a real signature matters
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, which replaced the Indian Penal Code on 1 July 2024, knowingly using or producing a forged medical document is a punishable offence with imprisonment that may extend to seven years. Submitting a draft template that has not been issued by a licensed medical practitioner as if it were a genuine certificate may constitute forgery and use of a forged document. This tool produces a draft template only. It is your responsibility to obtain a real consultation, signature, and stamp from a registered medical practitioner before submitting the certificate to any third party.
Frequently asked questions
Is the PDF I download a valid sick leave certificate?
No. The PDF is a draft template formatted to match Indian conventions, but a valid sick leave certificate requires the original signature and stamp of a licensed registered medical practitioner. Take the printed template to a doctor for examination and endorsement.
How many days of sick leave can I take with one certificate?
There is no fixed limit in central law. Most state Shops and Establishments Acts allow 5 to 12 days of paid sick leave per year for private-sector employees. For government servants, the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules 1972 allow up to 12 days of half-pay leave on medical grounds per year, with extensions possible on submission of further certificates.
Does my doctor's qualification need to be M.B.B.S.?
For Allopathic medical certificates, yes — the doctor should hold at least an M.B.B.S. degree and be registered with the NMC or the relevant State Medical Council. AYUSH practitioners (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy, Yoga & Naturopathy) can issue certificates within their system of medicine, registered with the corresponding statutory council.
What if my employer rejects the certificate?
Common rejection reasons are missing registration number, missing seal, vague diagnosis, or mismatched dates. Ask the doctor to clearly print all required fields and verify that the date range matches your absence. If the rejection is unjustified and you suspect harassment, you can escalate to the state Labour Commissioner.
Can I get a sick leave certificate without visiting the doctor?
A valid certificate requires that the doctor has personally examined you. Indian telemedicine guidelines do allow online consultations through regulated platforms such as Practo, 1mg, and Apollo 24/7. After such a consultation the doctor may issue a digital certificate. A draft template generated by this tool is not a substitute for examination.