ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Friday said it has initiated a project to revamp its degree attestation system by integrating cutting-edge blockchain technology.

“This pivotal transition is set to enhance efficiency and transparency across the verification process while eliminating the long-standing requirement for applicants’ physical presence at HEC offices,” says a press release issued by HEC.

The HEC announced that the new, fully automated system will be operational within the next six months.

Acting HEC Chairman Nadeem Mahbub underscored the urgency of the initiative, directing the concerned team to prioritise the task and ensure its earliest implementation.

He was briefed that the proposed system will remove the requirement for applicants to provide physical documents or visit HEC offices for verification.

The new system promises a seamless process for graduates from the 25 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that have fully implemented the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, as student information from these institutions will be automatically integrated into the blockchain.

Graduates from these HEIs will not need to submit any documents; their degrees will be added to the HEC blockchain upon graduation, granting them direct access to their verified degrees through the HEC portal.

For students graduating from HEIs that currently operate without an ERP system, the process remains entirely digital and streamlined: degrees and transcripts will be submitted online through the HEC portal, then forwarded to the respective university’s dashboard for verification, and once verified by the university, the documents will be immediately integrated into the blockchain.

The press release said core benefit of the transition lies in security and speed: degree verification will take place entirely online, with all records digitally secured to ensure instant, tamper-proof access.

Once verified and stored on the HEC blockchain, degrees will enable immediate authentication by all key stakeholders, including government departments, the Foreign Office, embassies and private organisations.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2025