PU is still following a manual process for a basic student service such as transcript verification. (Representational Image)
VERIFICATION OF marksheets and result-related queries make up a majority of the emails received by Panjab University’s examination branch. To date, PU does not have an online application and payment system for students who want their transcripts for higher studies or even PR immigration while other universities in the region are much ahead in this regard. The office of the Controller of Examinations (CoE), however, on Thursday said the university will make transcript verification fully online in another two weeks.
In January, Chandigarh Newsline had reported that PU was still following a manual process for a basic student service such as transcript verification. After downloading the form for verification from the official website, a student has to pay Rs 150 to the bank. Once the receipt is attached, it can be submitted to the certificate cell that will then direct to pay Rs 500 per certificate and will post the documents on its own to the address concerned with additional postal charges.
“But now, all of the applications and payments will be online. We will take two weeks to verify the transcripts and send them to the concerned address. We were receiving a lot of frustrated queries from students and parents,” said CoE Prof Parvinder Singh. Two other factors that will play a major role in this transition will be the National Academic Depository (NAD) and PU’s web presence.
The university’s web presence is well accounted for in the region and India, according to a short study conducted by two university professors. According to information, the NAD will keep a permanent record of academic awards where there will be no need to issue duplicates. Also, it will be an effective deterrent to fake and forged certificates and will save time-consuming administrative processes more efficient.
Students have expressed disappointment over the slow functioning of the exam branch, but Prof Singh added that the implementation of various measures had produced good results. He explained that the exam branch was successful in reducing unfair means cases during the semester exam with the help of frequent appointments of at least 346 flying squads. In the previous semester exams, at least 100-150 cases were reported. This year, 2.9 lakh students enrolled for 550 exams at 295 centres.