National Academic Depository: Panjab University's 110 PhD scholars download degrees from digital locker

CHANDIGARH: During the

Covid-19 pandemic

, nearly 110 research scholars have downloaded their PhD degree online from

National Academic Depository

(

NAD

) and more than 800 have enrolled for using this benefit anytime and anywhere, without requiring

Panjab University

to issue them a hard copy.
The NAD carries the data of 35,000 students enrolled in the postgraduate and

PhD programmes

of the academic sessions 2018-19 and 2019-20. Out of this, the university has verified the data of 15,000 students of the affiliate colleges and teaching departments.
Controller of examinations Parvinder Singh said: "It's from the current session that the Panjab University examination branch has started uploading degrees and detailed marks sheets on the NAD after receiving legal agreement and registration details of the candidates from the affiliate colleges and teaching departments. Because of the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown, many candidates fail to receive their testimonials from the university's administrative offices. That's those PG students and PhD scholars must sign up for a digital degree locker."
He said that the system of online degrees will be good even for further transparency and efficiency. "This reform will improve the credibility of the university's examination system as well," he said. The NAD is a 24X7 online storehouse of
academic awards (certificates, diplomas, degrees, and mark-sheets), duly digitised and lodged by academic institutes, boards,
and eligibility assessment bodies.
The NAD not only ensures easy retrieval of an academic award but also validates and guarantees its authenticity and safe storage. On November 23, 2016, the UGC told Panjab University about this digital depository of academic awards created under the Prime minister's Digital India campaign.