Chennai: All state-run universities in Tamil Nadu will soon adopt the National Academic Depository (NAD) DigiLocker system to store and manage students’ certificates in digital format, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP).
The decision follows an advisory from the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TNSCHE), functioning under the Higher Education Department.
The NEP promotes the use of DigiLocker and the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) to digitise academic records and enable seamless credit transfers between institutions.
The ABC acts as a virtual storehouse of credits earned by students throughout their academic careers, ensuring easy access and mobility.
About The National Academic Depository
The NAD, created by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), serves as a 24/7 online repository for storing and publishing academic awards such as degrees, provisional certificates, and mark sheets.
It guarantees authenticity, secure storage, and easy retrieval of documents. A senior Higher Education Department official said the initiative will allow students to access and download their digital certificates anytime, without physically visiting their universities.
“At present, this scheme will be implemented to maintain students’ records across all universities. It will also minimise the risk of forged certificates and allow students to share their credentials instantly. Currently, only a few universities in the country have put this system in place,” the official said.
Highlighting its advantages, a senior professor from a private college noted, “As a State and Centre-backed service, DigiLocker lets students access their academic records instantly and share them securely with QR code verification. It’s useful for higher education admissions and for availing government welfare schemes for students.”
The scheme is also expected to benefit employers. An HR professional at a Chennai-based recruitment firm said, “Private companies can integrate with DigiLocker to issue and verify digital documents before interviews. What used to take weeks for verification can now be completed in a day or two.”
With TNSCHE’s guidance, Tamil Nadu’s universities are expected to fully integrate DigiLocker into their academic systems, aligning the state with national efforts to provide secure, paperless access to educational records.
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