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In this article I propose an online verification system for Higher Education Certificates and Universities in India.
India is the world’s seventh largest country by area and second most populous country with over 1.24 billion people. The higher education system in India is third largest in the world, next to USA and China. In India, the higher education (that is, education beyond 12 years of School education) is imparted through various Universities/Colleges/Institutes. As on now, as per University Grants Commission records, India has a total of 643 Universities and some Institutes of National Importance.
At present, there is no unified system for online verification for higher education certificates & universities in our country. Therefore, I propose to have such an e-governance system. The Prospective Employers/Students/Brides/Bridegrooms etc. find it very difficult to verify any certificate. Certificate verification process in most universities is still manual. Manual verification process normally takes around 2 weeks to 3 months in some universities. To get a certificate verified, one has to send a photocopy of the certificate along with a payment (around $15 to $25 per certificate) by courier to the university. Similarly, verification of Universities for its genuineness is very difficult.
I propose for an online verification system of Higher Education Certificates & Universities/Institutes, which will help in verifying the education certificates as well as universities.
The Proposed System – HERO Model
As per this proposed system, there should be a single Higher Education Regulator Office (HERO), which will manage this Online Verification System for Higher Education Certificates & Universities. All the Universities/Institutes will upload the data in prescribed format (not exactly the image of the certificates) to the web site of HERO (Higher Education Regulator Office). HERO officials will validate the data online (as per approved programs/courses of the University, sanctioned strength, etc.) and only after validation by HERO Officials, data will be available for access by the public. This way, fake universities/certificates can’t pass through the validation process of HERO.
We assume that under the proposed system, all Candidates must have a Unique ID (UID) Number (In India, it is like the Social Security Number of USA). Also, all universities/institutes are given a unique University/Institute Code/Number.
Online Verification system will provide the following facilities:
Verification of a Certificate:
Anybody can access the Online System of Verification of Certificates and Universities by accessing the official web site of the Higher Education Regulator Office. No registration/login is required to access this system. With the input of Certificate Code/Number, the system will provide the details pertaining to the Certificate such as Candidate’s Name, Roll Number, Date of Birth, Father’s/Husband’s Name, Candidate’s Photo, Exam. Name, Month/Year of passing, University/Institute Name/Code, Candidates UID No, Marks/Grades Secured.
Target Users: Prospective Employers/Brides/Bridegrooms, Passport Offices, Transport Offices, Banks, Universities/Institutes. Police/Intelligence Offices, General Public etc.
Verification of a University/Institute
With the input of University Code/Number, the system will provide the details pertaining to the University/Institute such as University/Institute Name, Address, Phone Numbers, Email IDs, URL, Courses/Programs offered & no. of seats.
Target Users: Prospective Students/Employers, Police/Intelligence Offices, General Public etc.
Verification of all higher education qualifications
- Based on Candidate’s UID Number
- Based on Candidate’s Name & Date of Birth
With the input of Candidate’s UID Number, the system will display his Name, Address and all the Certificates issued to him. Alternately, with the input of Name & Date of Birth, the system will display the Name, Date of Birth, UID Number & the Certificates issued to him.
Target Users: Prospective Employers, Banks, Universities/Institutes, Police/Intelligence Offices, General Public etc.
Such an online verification system of Certificates and Universities will help in developing a better, efficient and transparent system leading to world class e-governance platform in higher education system in India.” – Srihari Subudhi – New Delhi, India