If you have to produce your income details for any counselling or purpose then you need to have a valid income certificate. Now if you are talking about the counselling, then you need to have a income certificate which is issued after the 31st March,2021 as most of the examination had issued notification to submit the document issued after this. So you should check the information brochure of your examination and if you find that its separately mentioned about the income certificate then you have to submit the income certificate and ration card will not suffice anything.

I hope this answer helps. All the very best for your future endeavors!