Sixth Schedule explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
The Sixth Schedule is the application form that a farmer, a group of farmers or a community of farmers uses to register a farmers' variety. It was inserted by G.S.R. 115(E) of 20 February 2013, under rule 25A, and amended by G.S.R. 494(E) of 15 June 2015, which added a paragraph on the applicant's place of business or domicile and replaced the list of endorsing authorities.
Rules as amended up to G.S.R. 803(E) dated 16 November 2021. Later notifications should be checked on plantauthority.gov.in.
Farmers use the Sixth Schedule form under the proviso to section 18(1) and rule 25A, not the standard variety form. The form asks for the applicant's identity (farmer, community of farmers or group of farmers), names and addresses, the variety's crop and denomination, the farmers who bred it, whether it has been sold, and a declaration that the genetic material was lawfully acquired. It must carry an endorsement in Annexure 1 by an authority named in the form. No fee is payable by farmers under section 44.
Where the form comes from
Section 18(1) of the Act sets the contents of a registration application, but its proviso says that for a farmers' variety clauses (b) to (i) do not apply and "the application shall be in such form as may be prescribed". Rule 25A, inserted in 2013, says: "The application form for registration of farmers' variety shall be as specified in the Sixth Schedule." See section 18 and rules 24 to 27.
A farmers' variety is defined in section 2(l) of the Act; the form itself defines nothing, and a group preparing its first application can ask our legal consultation team to check the draft. The form's instruction reads: "Wherever a box item appears against queries, please tick the relevant box and provide legibly written/typed response in other queries."
What the form asks
The form's headings and contents are summarised below.
| Part | What the applicant gives |
|---|---|
| Identity of the applicant(s) | A box for Farmer, Community of Farmers or Group of Farmers |
| Note on endorsement | An application for a farmers' variety by farmers, a community or a group "shall be submitted only with an endorsement in Annexure 1" by one of the authorities named in the form |
| Names of applicants | A table with serial number, name, complete address and nationality; extra rows may be added |
| Person for correspondence | Name and address, with pin, telephone, fax and e-mail; an authorisation in Form PV-1 to be attached "if required" |
| Paragraph 2A (inserted 2015) | The principal place of business or domicile of the applicant |
| General information of the variety | Common name of the crop; botanical name; family; denomination in block letters. A note says "botanical names" mean the scientific name approved by the International Code for Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants, 2004 |
| Classification of the candidate variety | Typical variety, or other (to be specified). A note describes a typical variety as one that is not a hybrid or an essentially derived variety and is normally propagated using propagules saved from previous crop cycles, for example pure lines, composite varieties or vegetatively propagated varieties |
| Farmers who bred the variety | Name, address, telephone, fax, e-mail and nationality; further breeders in the same format. Where the variety was evolved and conserved by a group or community, the endorsement in Annexure 1 is required |
| Commercialisation | Whether the variety has been commercialised or otherwise exploited (Yes or No); if yes, the date of the first sale, the countries where protection is made, variation in an important trait with respect to the first filing (a sheet is attached), the denomination used, and any trademark used |
| Declaration | See below |
| Attachments | The complete application; the endorsement in Annexure 1 for a farmers' variety; and the authorisation in Form PV-1, if applicable. All signatures on the application and attachments are to be in the original |
The declaration
The applicant declares that the genetic material or parental material acquired for breeding, evolving or developing the variety has been lawfully acquired. It mirrors section 18(1)(h). The proviso to section 18(1) disapplies clauses (b) to (i) for farmers' varieties, but section 39(1)(ii) makes a farmers' variety entitled to registration "if the application contains declarations as specified in clause (h) of sub-section (1) of section 18", so the declaration remains. The applicant signs.
Annexure 1: the endorsement
Annexure 1 has three parts.
Applicant details. Names, with surname or the name of the group or community, and permanent address; the denomination of the variety.
Individual farmer's declaration. The farmer states that he has been a permanent cultivator for many years in a named village under a named local body or Panchayat, in a named district and State, and that he and his family are "the initial and exclusive developers and conservers" of the candidate variety, naming the crop and botanical species.
Group or community declaration. The group states that its members have been permanent cultivators for many years in the named village or villages, and that they are the initial and exclusive developers and continuous conservers of the variety. They authorise a named member, a permanent resident of a stated address, to sign for the limited purpose of securing registration. The Annexure is signed before the endorsing official.
Certificate by the endorsing authority. The authority certifies that the variety is bred or developed and continuously conserved and cultivated only by the applicant farmer, group or community, who are permanent residents of the village or villages named, and that the authority is "fully conversant" with them and that the variety is due to their efforts.
Endorsing authorities as amended in 2015
G.S.R. 494(E) replaced the list of endorsing authorities at the end of the declaration with: "Chairperson/Secretary of the Concerned Panchayat Biodiversity Management Committee OR Concerned District Agricultural Officer OR Director of Research/ Director of Extension of concerned State Agricultural Universities OR Concerned District Tribal Development Office/Zonal Project Director (ICAR) (with Official Rubber Stamp)".
The 2013 text named four authorities: the Panchayat Biodiversity Management Committee, the District Agricultural Officer, the Director of Research of the State Agricultural University, and the District Tribal Development Officer. The 2015 text adds the Director of Extension and the Zonal Project Director (ICAR). The designations are those printed; check with the Authority which office in your district holds each post.
Fees and where to file
Farmers, groups of farmers and village communities are not liable for fees in proceedings before the Authority or Registrar under section 44 of the Act. See sections 42 to 44. The Sixth Schedule form prints no fee. The form is addressed in the usual way to the Registrar's office; rule 4 decides the appropriate office, which for a farmers' group is the one in whose territorial limits the applicant's principal place of business or domicile falls.
Farmer groups preparing a first application can ask our legal consultation team to check the form and endorsement before filing; see also section 39 on farmers' entitlement to registration.
Need help with a farmers' variety application?
The form is simple in layout, but the endorsement, the declarations and the sale history must all be consistent. Our legal consultation team can review a draft application, explain the endorsement route and help the group prepare supporting records.
Key takeaways
- The Sixth Schedule form is the application for a farmers' variety under rule 25A and the proviso to section 18(1).
- The applicant ticks Farmer, Community of Farmers or Group of Farmers and gives names, addresses, nationality and the principal place of business or domicile (paragraph 2A, added 2015).
- The form asks for crop, botanical name, family, denomination, classification, breeders, sale history and a lawful-acquisition declaration.
- Annexure 1 must be endorsed by an authority named in the form; the 2015 amendment replaced and widened the list.
- Farmers pay no fees in proceedings before the Authority or Registrar (section 44).
Read next
- Section 39: farmers' rights
- Rules 24-27: authorisation, farmers' variety form and fees
- Section 18: contents of an application
Disclaimer: Based on the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 as amended up to the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, the PPV&FR Rules, 2003 as amended up to G.S.R. 803(E) of 16 November 2021, and the regulations, rules and scheme named in the article, as published by the PPV&FR Authority and consulted on 3 October 2026. Later notifications should be checked on plantauthority.gov.in. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.