Document verification at PU doubles to 12,000 this year

According to data received from the Certification Branch,around 6,000 applications were received from individuals who have passed out from Panjab University and have either enrolled themselves in foreign universities or are in the process of doing so. This practice is followed in response to the demand from foreign universities for verification of academic credentials.

Even the embassies have approached PU for such verifications. The countries that have sent the largest number of applications are Australia,Canada,Singapore and New Zealand. For this purpose,the University charges Rs 350 per exam or certificate for national applications while the fee charged for foreign applications is $150.

“The applications from government organisations seeking verification of documents have also increased,with around 3,000 such applications having been received this year. Two major reasons are behind this – the increasing incidents of forged documents and the ‘no verification fee’ from government organisations,” revealed a senior Branch official.

“From government organisations,the Certification Branch has received applications for recruitment exams,including those for teachers and police in Punjab and for the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO) recruitment and entrance examination. Verifications are sought both for candidates who have applied and existing employees,” he added.

The PU Certification Branch,which has around 20 employees,maintains documents since 1906. While the results gazette has been maintained from 1906,the result sheet comprising subject-wise marks has been maintained from 1966.

With the recent incidents of forged documents being produced at institutes like PEC University of Technology and PGIMER,even investigative organisations like the CBI and Vigilance are among the applicants for document verification. Around 50 such queries are received from these bodies each year.

Interestingly,private companies too are not taking any chances when it comes to verification of academic credentials of their employees or before hiring candidates. Some of these companies,like Bangalore-based Infosys and Hyderabad-centred Tata Consultancy Services (TCS),do not make direct applications and have,instead,outsourced the task to private agencies.

According to Branch officials,around 200-250 cases of forged documents are detected by the end of the year. “In such cases,the Branch intimates the applicant about the forgery with supporting papers and if the court summons the University,these documents are produced,” informed the official.