HEC to launch digital degree attestation system

Islamabad: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) is preparing to introduce a blockchain-powered digital degree attestation system that will allow students to verify their academic credentials online without visiting offices or submitting physical documents.

According to officials, the commission will roll out a blockchain-based platform through which applicants will be able to file attestation requests and monitor the progress of their applications.

As part of the project, HEC has signed an agreement with CMPak and its joint venture partner Wibbow Technologies for the development of the platform, officials said.

The new system is expected to make the process easier for students and graduates by removing the need for in-person visits, reducing processing time and simplifying the sharing of verified credentials. Officials said the facility would be particularly helpful for people living outside major cities or applying from abroad.

Officials said the system is scheduled to become operational by June 30.

Committee had sought faster attestation process

Earlier in February, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances asked HEC to cut the turnaround time for degree attestation.

The committee said the existing degree attestation mechanism was cumbersome and placed a financial burden on students.

While reviewing the implementation report on an assurance given by the minister for education on the floor of the House regarding issues in degree attestation, the committee observed that the time taken from the submission of an application to the completion of attestation should be reduced.

During the briefing, the HEC chairman told the committee that, in line with digital transformation, a comprehensive, robust and secure blockchain system was being established to address the concerns identified by the committee.

He further informed the committee that the project would be implemented before 30th June, 2026, linking HEC initially with 25 universities and the Attestation Directorate of the Foreign Office.

The committee also asked HEC and the Foreign Office to give a joint presentation on degree attestation.

Digital shift in attestation

The planned platform marks a shift from the current paper-based and in-person process towards a digital model for credential verification. Under the proposed arrangement described by officials, applicants will be able to submit requests online and follow each stage of the process through the system.

The move comes after concerns raised at the parliamentary committee level over delays and the cost burden associated with the existing procedure. HEC has told lawmakers that the new blockchain-based framework is intended to respond to those issues through a more secure and streamlined process.

Once implemented, the system will initially connect the commission with 25 universities as well as the Foreign Office’s Attestation Directorate, according to the HEC chairman’s briefing to the committee.

Officials said the digital attestation system is expected to be operational by the end of June 2026.