Employers and higher education institutions that have a tough time detecting fake marks cards have got some help from the Department of Primary and Secondary Education. It has decided put all marks cards of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and second pre-university (PU) online, not only of this year, but of the last 10 years.
Ajay Seth, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education, said marks cards of 10 years were expected to be uploaded online from June.
“This will allow employers and higher education institutions to verify on their own if the marks cards given to them by a candidate is genuine. The institutions can access them if they have the roll number and the date of birth of the candidate,” he said.
There have been various instances of fake marks card scam, and following a recent one reported from Shivamogga, where an inter-State racket was busted, the Department of Pre-University (DPUE) decided not to allow students who were admitted to PU colleges using them to write exams. It was found that fake marks cards of SSLC and II PU were being sold for ₹15,000.
While each year students get their results on the website of the department concerned by keying in their registration number, the new system aims to have a database of the marks cards permanently on the websites — SSLC marks cards on Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board website, and PU on the DPUE website.
Deekshitha G., a first year B.Com. student, said the new system would benefit students as well. “Many people use fake marks cards to get admission into professional colleges. Having a system like this will ensure that only the ones deserving get admission,” she said. Ramya S., another student, said the system would also be useful if students lose their original marks card.
College managements too have welcomed the move. A.V. Chandrashekar, principal, PES PU and Degree College, said the move would help managements verify the credentials of their students more easily. He also said that it would help students avoid unnecessary trips to their colleges. “Now, students come back to us, many years after having passed, to get their marks cards attested when they obtain a job. With this system in place, it would not only make the system transparent, but also make things easier for students,” he said.
