Degree from an Unregistered NAD University Valid or Not?

 

Indian Higher Education system is a large and growing system with approximately 60 school boards, 416 state universities, 124 deemed universities, 54 central universities, and 364 private universities. Apart from these, there are 107 other institutions such as IISc/IITs/IIMs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs/NITIE and 12 other centrally funded institutions. These institutions issue academic awards to students including degrees, diplomas and certificates along with mark sheets and evaluation reports. Apart from these, institutions under various Ministries/Departments and other skill-based institutions also dispense certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas.

Those who are entering into employment or pursuing higher studies require a credible, authentic and convenient mechanism for access, retrieval and validation of such academic awards. Retrieval of old academic records maintained in paper form is cumbersome. Academic records maintained in paper form are susceptible to hazards such as spoilage and forgery. Students often face difficulties in obtaining copies of their certificates/mark-sheets whenever they are lost or destroyed. Maintaining academic awards in a digital depository would enable educational institutions, students and employer’s online access/retrieval/verification of digitised academic awards and shall eliminate fraudulent practices such as forging of certificates and mark-sheets.

What is NAD: National Academic Depository (NAD) is an initiative to provide an online store house of all academic awards. National Academic Depository (NAD) is a 24X7 online store house of all academic awards viz. certificates, diplomas, degrees, mark-sheets etc. duly digitised and lodged by academic institutions / boards / eligibility assessment bodies. NAD not only ensures easy access to and retrieval of an academic award but also validates and guarantees its authenticity and safe storage.


Validity: The responsibility for accuracy and authenticity of certificate records and identity of the students rests with academic institutes & universities. Therefore, they need to ensure that certificate data is thoroughly verified and authorised persons lodge the records in NAD under their digital signatures.

The expectation is that NAD will drastically reduce the incidence of fake degrees. For instance, the Delhi Police busted a gang providing spurious educational certificates and degrees in February and recovered 200 fake documents from them.

Meanwhile, even as the government is pushing for it to be seeded into academic records, it is not mandatory yet. Also, the historic data may not be updated with Aadhaar numbers but, going forward, universities and institutes “are being instructed to start capturing Aadhaar data" at the time of admissions from the next academic session. In future times, NAD will be mandatory for all Academic Institutes & Universities.

Roles & Responsibilities of Academic Institutions/Universities:

• Provide certificate templates, data masters etc. to the depository
• Provide data of academic awards for lodging the academic awards on NAD
• Are responsible for accuracy of data of academic awards
• Identify staff to be trained in NAD system
• Lodge Awards – Upload awards and seed with Aadhaar / Mobile Number
• Verified Digital Data in prescribed format
• Data format with certificate template / digitally signed images with data
• Include student identity with Aadhaar / Mobile Number
• Update Aadhaar / Mobile Number in a certificate record


Why is NAD Important for Students?

Certificate records maintained in well organised IT system for long period. Duplicate Certificate Issuance, Certificate Verification services delivered online through NAD. Significant saving in administrative processes. World class IT System support and Business Continuity Systems for Academic Records.

How to Check:

The users of the NAD system are free to select Digilocker which is a sole depository for NAD.

The users should select Digilocker is the preferred depository for register into NAD. The user may click on the link https://nad.digitallocker.gov.in  which shall re-direct them to the depository's website. Further details relating to the registration process is available on their website: https://www.nad.gov.in/

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