Bhubaneswar: The higher education department has directed all universities in the state to issue original degree certificates to eligible students, particularly National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, within six months of issuing provisional degree certificates.Director of higher education Kali Prasanna Mahapatra said it is aimed at preventing eligible students from missing out on recruitment opportunities. Mahapatra recently wrote to the controllers of examination of all universities, asking them to streamline the examination and certification process to ensure timely issuance of original degree certificates.The department has noted that delays in issuing original certificates have been preventing many NCC cadets from applying for recruitment in the armed forces and other central govt services. Several recruitment agencies require candidates to produce their original degree certificates during document verification within a stipulated period, and delays often result in otherwise eligible candidates losing valuable career opportunities. “The move will benefit thousands of graduates, especially NCC cadets aspiring to join the defence services and other government organisations where strict document verification timelines are followed,” it stated.The letter asked universities to complete the issuance of original degree certificates within six months from the date of issuing provisional certificates. It also advised institutions to establish appropriate mechanisms for the timely printing, verification and distribution of certificates to avoid unnecessary hardship to students.The higher education department has instructed all universities to accord the matter top priority and take immediate necessary action. Under the undergraduate syllabus in the state which aligns with National Education Policy-2020, NCC is being offered as an elective to students. There are around 63,000 NCC cadets in educational institutions.
