Mojini is the Karnataka survey department's online system for survey and measurement work. It is where you request a surveyor to measure a parcel, and where the resulting sketches are issued. The confusion people run into is that "survey sketch" is not one document — Tippan, Akarband, Podi and the parcel map are four different records, and asking for the wrong one wastes weeks.
This guide explains what each record actually is, which one you need for which situation, how to apply, and — the part that matters most — how to reconcile the sketch against the extent on the RTC and against the boundary that physically exists on the ground.
The four records, and which one you actually need
These are produced by the Department of Survey Settlement and Land Records. They describe different things and are not interchangeable.
| Record | What it is | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Tippan | The field measurement sketch for a survey number — the surveyor's dimensioned drawing of the parcel | Establishing the shape and dimensions of a parcel; the base document for boundary questions |
| Akarband | The register of survey numbers in a village with extent and land assessment for each | Confirming the official extent of a parcel and its classification |
| Podi / phodi | The sub-division record — how a parent survey number was split into Hissa numbers | Buying part of a larger parcel, or tracing why a Hissa exists |
| Parcel map / PT Sheet | The scaled map showing the parcel and its neighbours in context | Seeing the parcel relative to roads, water bodies, government land and adjoining owners |
If you are buying and want one document, ask for the Tippan. It is the dimensioned sketch, and it is what a surveyor will use if the boundary is later disputed.
How to get a survey sketch through Mojini
Mojini handles two distinct things: issuing existing records, and dispatching a licensed surveyor to make a fresh measurement. Applying for the wrong one is the usual delay.
- 1Collect the parcel identifiers from the RTC first — District, Taluk, Hobli, Village, Survey Number, Surnoc and Hissa. Every Mojini request keys off these, and a wrong Hissa produces a sketch for someone else's land.
- 2Open the Mojini portal for the Karnataka survey department and register as a citizen user with a mobile number for OTP.
- 3Decide which service you need. "Records" issues an existing Tippan, Akarband or sub-division record from the department's archive. "Measurement" (Podi, Pot Hissa, Hadbast or 11E sketch depending on your purpose) dispatches a licensed surveyor to the site.
- 4For an existing record, select the record type, enter the parcel identifiers, pay the prescribed fee shown on screen, and download the issued sketch when it is released.
- 5For a fresh measurement, submit the application with the parcel identifiers and the reason for measurement. The request is assigned to a licensed surveyor for your hobli.
- 6Attend the site visit. The surveyor will measure in the presence of the parties, and adjoining owners are notified. Being absent is how people lose boundary arguments they would have won.
- 7Collect the issued sketch, then immediately compare its extent against the RTC extent and against the physical boundary. That comparison is the entire point of the exercise.
An 11E sketch is the one required when you are splitting off and registering a portion of a larger survey number. If you are buying part of a parcel rather than the whole of it, this is usually the sketch the Sub-Registrar will want.
Reconciling the sketch, the RTC and the fence
Three numbers describe the same piece of land and they routinely disagree. Knowing which one governs what is the difference between a clean purchase and a decade in court.
- The Tippan governs shape and dimensions. It is the surveyed geometry of the parcel.
- The RTC governs the revenue extent — the area the Revenue Department recognises for assessment and for the record of rights.
- The fence governs nothing. It is where somebody put a boundary, which may or may not match either record.
A gap of a few guntas between the sketch and the RTC is common and usually reflects rounding across decades of manual transcription. A gap between either record and the physical boundary is different — that is an encroachment, in one direction or the other, and it belongs to whoever owns the land after you buy it.
| What disagrees | What it probably means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tippan extent vs RTC extent, small gap | Transcription rounding over time | Note it; usually not a blocker |
| Tippan extent vs RTC extent, large gap | Unrecorded partition, or the wrong Hissa | Pull the Mutation Register and the Podi record before paying |
| Sketch vs physical boundary | Encroachment by or against the seller | Commission a fresh measurement; do not rely on the seller's account |
| Sketch shows a road or drain across the parcel | Public right of way or government land inside the boundary | Treat as a material defect; it will not go away |
| Adjoining survey numbers do not match the neighbours on site | Parcel misidentified, or re-survey renumbering | Verify the parcel on Dishaank by location before anything else |
Where Mojini commonly fails, and what to do
- The parcel identifiers are rejected. Almost always a Hissa or Surnoc mismatch. Re-read them from the current RTC rather than from the sale deed, which may predate a sub-division.
- The record is not digitised. Older Tippans for some villages exist only on paper in the taluk survey office. The portal will show nothing and you will need a physical application.
- The village has been re-surveyed. Old survey numbers return nothing. Recover the current number from Dishaank by locating the parcel on the map, then re-apply.
- The measurement request sits unassigned. Licensed surveyor capacity per hobli is finite and requests queue, particularly before harvest and around registration season. Apply early rather than during the transaction.
- A sub-division is pending. If a phodi is in progress the parent number can be closed and the children not yet published, so neither returns a sketch. Nothing online resolves this — it completes at the Tahsildar office.
A downloaded sketch is not a measurement. If the boundary is genuinely in dispute, you need a surveyor-attested measurement made in the presence of the adjoining owners. An archived Tippan tells you what the department recorded; it does not tell you where the pegs are today.
Why buyers skip this document, and what it costs them
Most buyers obtain the RTC and the Encumbrance Certificate and consider the verification complete. Both are ownership documents. Neither says anything about where the land is or how big it actually is.
Boundary and extent disputes are the most common property litigation in Karnataka, and they are almost entirely preventable at the pre-purchase stage. The survey sketch is free or costs a nominal fee. A boundary suit runs for years. The asymmetry is not close, and the reason people skip the sketch is simply that nobody tells them it exists.
- Buying agricultural land: get the Tippan and the Akarband extent, and walk the boundary against the sketch.
- Buying part of a survey number: get the Podi record and, for registration, the 11E sketch.
- Buying where the neighbour's wall looks new: commission a fresh measurement before you pay, not after.
- Buying anywhere the sketch shows a road, drain, tank bund or gomala touching the parcel: get an advocate to read it before you proceed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Tippan and Akarband?
The Tippan is the field measurement sketch — the surveyor's dimensioned drawing of a specific parcel. The Akarband is the village register listing survey numbers with their official extent and land assessment. The Tippan tells you the shape; the Akarband tells you the recognised area.
What is Mojini used for?
Mojini is the Karnataka survey department's online system for survey and measurement services. It does two things: issues existing survey records such as Tippan and sub-division sketches, and dispatches licensed surveyors for fresh measurements including Podi, Pot Hissa, Hadbast and 11E sketches.
What is an 11E sketch and when do I need it?
An 11E sketch delineates a portion being split off from a larger survey number. You need it when you are buying or selling part of a parcel rather than the whole of it — the Sub-Registrar generally requires it to register the transfer of a sub-divided portion.
The sketch extent does not match the RTC extent. Is that a problem?
A small gap of a few guntas is common and usually reflects rounding through decades of manual transcription. A large gap is not — it typically indicates an unrecorded partition or that you are looking at the wrong Hissa. Pull the Mutation Register and the sub-division record before paying anything.
Can I download a survey sketch without applying for a measurement?
Yes, if the record is already digitised. Requesting an existing record such as a Tippan is a records service and is far quicker than a measurement request, which requires a licensed surveyor to visit the site. Older records for some villages exist only on paper at the taluk survey office.
How do I find my survey number if the village was re-surveyed?
Use Dishaank, the GIS parcel viewer, to locate the land by its physical position on the map and read back the current survey number. Alternatively ask the Village Accountant for the re-survey concordance mapping old numbers to new ones.
Is a survey sketch enough to settle a boundary dispute?
It is the starting evidence, not the conclusion. For a live dispute you need a fresh measurement conducted by a licensed surveyor with the adjoining owners notified and present. An archived sketch shows what the department recorded, not where the boundary markers stand today.
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This guide is general information about Karnataka land records, not legal advice. Records, fees and procedures change. Verify the current position for your specific property with the relevant department before acting on anything here.