HYDERABAD: Aiming to combat academic fraud of unscrupulous elements, the Telangana government is coming up with a unique initiative to check the genuineness of study certificates.

One can visit www.tsstudentverification.org on the Internet followed by the student’s information to get the required details. Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE) is taking steps to officially launch the website in the next few days.

According to TSCHE chairman, Prof. N. Papi Reddy, the service will check the fake certificate menace. It will be beneficial to educational and research institutions, universities, recruiting agencies and employers.
“This service is free. Initially, details of the last five years’ batches (2011-15) of all universities under state jurisdiction. One needs to give details of the course, hall ticket number and university from which the candidate completed it. The details will come up on screen,” he said.

Mr Reddy added that no other state offers this facility. Due to complaints from recruiting firms about fake certificate issues, especially from Telugu job seekers, the government came up with this idea, he said.

As of now, details of few varsities like JNTU, Satavahana, Telangana etc. have been uploaded. The website, however, will be launched officially once information from varsities like OU, Kakatiya, Kaloji Narayana Rao Health University etc. are uploaded, officials said.
CCTVs soon to oversee inter practicals
If Intermediate Board has its way, intermediate practical exams will only be held in college laboratories with CCTV facilities. It may be noted that practical exams will be held in February every year. At the beginning of the academic year, the board directed all private colleges to take steps to install CCTVs in all rooms including laboratories.

Earlier, colleges used to have this facility only for corridors. But, in fresh directions, all institutions were told to install closed-circuit TVs in all rooms.
There is pressure on Intermediate board to check irregularities in corporate colleges at the time of practical exams. When contacted a senior board official stated they instructed colleges to install CCTVs. The practical exams are more than three months away. No decision has been taken as of now, he said.