Hyderabad University issues certificates with digital chip
Seeking better jobs, thousands of Indians turn to forged school graduation certificate and college degrees; one university makes its certificate tamper-proof
Radio frequency ID (RFID) technology is spreading far and wide. Here is the latest example: Cheating on exams and forging grades have now reached such bastions of honor codes as West Point and the Naval Academy. They are also a problem in more humble institutions of learning such as Hyderabad University in India. Worried over the tampering with the degrees and use of forged certificates to get jobs abroad, the University of Hyderabad has now come up with a novel idea of using a digital chip to make certificates tamper proof. The first such certificates with embedded chips were presented to the students at the 10th convocation of the university by the Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram two days ago. Dr. Ehtesham Hasanain, the vice-chancellor of the university, said that the digital chip on the certificates contain the details of the students as well as the university. It also has a photograph of the student and the digitally encrypted signature of the controller of examination.
The university took the step in the backdrop of a thriving market of forged certificates where the organized gangs offer any degree or certificate for a few thousand rupees.
