DigiLocker Introduces Document Tool For Indian Students Planning To Study In Australia
New DigiLocker tool helps students manage documents for Australian studies.
The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has partnered with the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI) to launch AAERI Verify, a DigiLocker-integrated platform for secure and paperless verification of documents submitted by Indian students applying to Australian universities. The platform was unveiled at the AAERI Annual Convention in New Delhi on August 7.
AAERI Verify is designed to streamline credential verification by allowing students to share authentic, issuer-verified digital documents directly through DigiLocker. The system can be used for academic, identity and financial documents, with verification taking place through authorised issuing sources. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on physical paperwork and manual checks during the international university admission process.
The platform uses a two-stage verification system. The first stage involves checking a student's documents before the university application process begins. The second, or sponsor check, is initiated after the student receives an admission offer and allows institutions to verify the authenticity of financial documents associated with the application.
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With the student's explicit consent, Australian universities can access digitally signed records issued by the original authorities through DigiLocker. The system is intended to reduce the risk of fraudulent documents while improving data privacy and shortening the time required for credential verification. It also provides institutions with a more direct method of checking documents supplied by prospective students.
JL Gupta, Director of NeGD, described the partnership as an example of how India's Digital Public Infrastructure can address challenges beyond the country's borders, according to ANI. NeGD, established under MeitY in 2009, supports project management, policy formulation and technology appraisal for government digital initiatives and platforms.
DigiLocker, a flagship digital public infrastructure initiative under MeitY and NeGD, has more than 72 crore registered users. Through AAERI Verify, the organisations aim to extend the use of India's digital verification infrastructure to the international education sector, providing Indian students and Australian universities with a more secure, transparent and efficient document-verification process.
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