The depository plan would help in storing important documents such as school leaving certificates, marksheets, degrees, etc in digital form, which can be accessed by student as well as institutions at the time of need.
Giving a push to introduce the system, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday called upon all states to roll out the use of the depository in 2017.
The NAD, which is an initiative of the HRD Ministry to maintain a national-level database of all academic qualifications, is not new as the similar scheme was also announced by the then HRD Minister Kapil Sibal in 2010.
The NAD will facilitate online verification and easy retrieval of academic records thereby removing the need to physically approach the educational institutions to obtain attestations of certificates.
The database would also help deal with issues of forged certificates since it enables online verification. “Establishment of a National Academic Depository is a step towards the Digital India vision of Prime Minister NarendraModi. The securities depositories in the country have already made dematerialisation of the financial securities and have been ensuring the safety of the financial wealth of the investors,” the HRD Minister said while speaking at an event organised to create awareness on NAD.
“This system can now be replicated for the educational awards. It is high time the academic awards are verified and authenticated, accessed and retrieved in a digital depository,” he added.
The minister called upon all participants to resolve to target year 2017 to roll out use of depository and encouraged the institutions to change the mindset by welcoming technology in the form of NAD and make it a reality.
Javadekar emphasised on three things – change in mindset, absorbing 'tried, tested and trusted technology' and thus enhancing transparency and authenticity–to make it a reality.