Mumbai: University of Mumbai on Wednesday announced its plans to start a National Academic Depository (NAD) to maintain database of academic qualifications.
"We are the first university in India to take this major initiative in the academic system. Students of MU can obtain marksheets and degrees from this electronic database," Deputy Registrar (PR), Leeladhar Bansod, said.
The system will be implemented from next academic year.
NAD will facilitate online verification and easy retrieval of academic records thereby removing the need to physically approach the educational institutions to obtain attestations/transcripts of certificates, he said.
The database will also deal with issues of forged certificates since it enables online verification, Bansod added.
The aim and objective of NAD is to develop database of academic records and secure academic records in electronic form and provide interface for verification of academic records of the candidates to the employers and other institutions on the consent of the candidate.
It will also help curb attempts of fake academic certificates such as mark sheets and convocation certificates as the certificates can be verified from the depository.
NAD will also enable other Universities and Boards to verify records of the candidate seeking admission for higher studies.
The system will also eliminate printing of physical mark sheets at University and authorise digitally signed mark sheets. Convocation certificates will be printed with various securities and the images shall be stored on depository along with database of convocation awards.
The depository can be assessed by the candidate with due authorisation such as login password for printing his mark sheet or authenticated digitally signed image of convocation certificate.
After declaration of exam result, the result data shall be uploaded on NAD by authorised officer in the predetermined database format.
Candidates can download and print their mark sheet from the link provided on the website of University of Mumbai. The mark sheet will bear encrypted digital signature of controller of examination.
Students can use the NAD database for duplicate certificates, attested copies. All academic details of students will be mapped onto one list. Academic details of a student from different states, universities will also be available on same page.
Education boards, schools, colleges will register students and link their certificates. Registration of students will be done after verification of proof of identity.
