Note: 3 Year Validity Digital Signature is now available. You can place an order for it. ?
3 Year-valid digital signature option has not been available since 05-MAR-2021. Except for Emudhra, all other Certifying Authorities(CAs) disabled the option to apply 3year validity DSC. Although Emudhra issued 3 year DSC, it is not giving an exact three-year valid certificate. But why so happening? What is the reason behind stopping the issuance of only 3-year valid certificates? ?♀️
Before we understand the reason behind this, we must know who actually issues the certificates. In India, Government empowers The Office of Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) to issue digital signature certificates. CCA is the supreme authority and controls all CAs. Although CCA can directly issue a certificate, it generally does not. Rather it provides authority to CAs who issue certificates on behalf of the CCA. ?
Due to CAs derive power from CCA, they must act according to the rules and regulations of later. Whatever binds on CCA, the same lies on CAs. The Government of India, generally, gives 5-year license validity to CCAs and thus the CAs should operate within this time frame. At present, the CCA license validity will expire on 5th March 2024. Therefore no CAs can issue a certificate beyond that period. This is the reason why most all CAs suspended the issuance of 3year valid certificates. However, Emudhra issued a 3year certificate with an expiry date of 5th March 2024 only.
Again, this is not going to stay like this forever. Indian Government soon renew the CCA license validity for another 5 years soon. Once it is renewed, CAs again continue to issue 3year valid certificates.?