The Ministry of External Affairs, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), launched the e-Sanad portal at Chandigarh University, marking a significant step toward simplifying document verification, attestation, and apostille processes. This digital platform, in line with the Digital India vision, aims to provide faceless, cashless, and paperless services for applicants requiring attestation and apostille of personal and educational documents.
The inauguration event, held in the university auditorium, was graced by Shri Dilip Kumar, IAS, Principal, Department of NRI Affairs, Government of Punjab, as the chief guest, and Shri Sanyam Aggarwal, IAS, Director, Department of Higher Education, as the guest of honor. Senior officials from NIC and the Ministry of External Affairs, including Shri IPS Sethi, Deputy Director General & Head of Group, MEA Informatics Division, and Shri Vivek Verma, Deputy Director General & State Informatics Officer, Punjab, also attended the ceremony.
The e-Sanad portal streamlines the traditionally cumbersome and time-intensive process of document verification. Applicants no longer need to make multiple visits to Document Issuing Authorities (DIAs), state government offices, or the CPV Division at the MEA in New Delhi. Instead, they can complete the entire process online.
Speaking at the event, Shri IPS Sethi highlighted the importance of NIC’s efforts in supporting citizen-centric digital initiatives, emphasizing how e-Sanad aligns with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for Digital India. A detailed demonstration of the portal was presented by Shri Raj Kumar Tickoo, Sr. Director (IT), showcasing its seamless functionality and benefits to both domestic and international students.
The Government of Punjab has fully implemented e-Sanad for personal documents across all districts as of September 2024. In just one month of operation, the portal processed approximately 5,700 applications, with 3,200 verified by DIAs and the Department of NRI Affairs and 2,300 attested and apostilled by the MEA.
Chandigarh University stands out as the first educational institution in North India to adopt the e-Sanad platform for educational document verification. This milestone underscores the university's commitment to student welfare and technological advancement.
Prominent attendees included Prof. (Dr.) Manpreet Singh Manna, Vice Chancellor of Chandigarh University, and Sh. Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), who praised the initiative's potential to empower students and ease the administrative burdens of overseas education and employment.
