Order that works, and the traps at each step:
- Register on the national UDID portal and print the filled application form.
- Go to a notified government hospital — a private certificate will not be accepted, and this is the single most common wasted trip.
- Documents: Aadhaar, two passport photos, address proof, and all medical records including discharge summary and imaging. Carry originals and two sets of photocopies.
- Medical board assessment. Boards often sit only on fixed days of the week — phone ahead and confirm the day, otherwise you will be sent home.
- Certificate issued with a percentage of disability. Check this number carefully before you leave. Getting it corrected later is far harder than getting it right on the day.
- UDID card follows; track the application number on the portal.
Where applications get stuck, in order of frequency: the hospital is not a notified centre; the disability percentage is entered wrong; the address on Aadhaar does not match the address on the application; photos not in the required format.
One thing nobody tells you: if the assessment is done on a day you happen to be doing well, the percentage can come out lower than your actual daily function. Bring documentation of your worst days, not your best.