Employee Verification: How Do You Verify Educational Certificates for New Hires?

Hi, how can we verify the educational certificates of a particular employee? Can anyone help with the process for the same?

Regards,
Khyati

It is very important for an employer to know and understand a new hire or hired employee's experience and educational background to determine if it is suitable for the position applied for.

Best Ways to Verify Educational Background

There are a couple of best ways that I know of:
- Calling the university or college attended by the candidate and connecting with the department where the course was pursued to verify the information.
- An employer can also ask a job applicant to provide references from professors or lecturers from their college. By contacting these references, the employer can confirm the educational credentials of the applicant.

I hope this information helps.

Thank you.

In addition to what has been contributed by Sharmila, please look for details such as watermarks and holograms. Forged documents can't produce a watermark; it requires authorization from the government. Pay attention to small details such as dates and uniformity in the certificate number. You will find the complete identification in the original documents.

Wishing you all the best!

You could hire an antecedent verification agency to check the credentials of prospective employees. They have ties with most colleges and universities, ensuring authentic verification. Keep in mind that they will charge for their services. 

Warm Regards,
Santhoshi

Before looking into the verification process for educational certificates, interviewers, recruiters, or employers must understand the concerns or worries that lead them to this situation.

Suggestions provided by Sharmila ji and Ms. (Cite Contribution) are appreciated. However, before proceeding further, I would like to ask a question:

- How many interviewers, recruiters, or employers (in your knowledge) generally prefer to verify the educational certificates of a candidate or employee?

So far, the query has been answered, but I feel the concern that prompts any interviewer, recruiter, or employer to verify the respective educational certificates of an employee or candidate, and whether they are original or fake, is what matters most.

As I believe and often say, “There would be no answer without a question,” which needs to be understood before going further. The answer to a question can be interesting and varied, but one thing is certain: it provides us with a lot to learn.

Lastly, the best way to verify the certificate (if required) is the method suggested by Ms. (Cite Contribution) above, and for further steps, one can follow the ways suggested by Sharmila ji.

Concerns About Verifying Educational Certificates

Calling up the university or college is not going to work as you will not get the required response from the educational institutions. The reason is that no one knows who is on the other side of the call and the purpose behind it. It may be a fake call or may be for some destructive purpose.

I personally do not consider it proper to give/share any details with anyone unless and until the identity of the inquirer is established. This is also our company policy – no information sharing on the phone except for info on our products.

Regards,
Kamal

To verify the education of a particular candidate, you have to reach out to the University/Board of that education. Every University and Board has its own way of the verification process. Some universities/boards can provide feedback over a phone call or online email, whereas for others, you may need to provide some documentation (like filling out a particular form) and a fee via Demand Draft. For certain universities/boards, a field visit may be required.

Most government universities do not respond to queries for 2-3 months, 6 months, or sometimes not at all.

Suggestion for Verification

Therefore, a better suggestion would be to hire an agency for this purpose. There are reputable agencies that can assist you in this matter. I have personally worked with such agencies, and they are efficient in their work. Additionally, you will receive a verification report from these agencies as proof of verification.

Regards

I would consider writing a "Strictly Confidential" registered letter to the concerned Head of the Institution, seeking their confirmation of the qualifications one has claimed, along with a copy of the qualifying degree/diploma, as a workable and faster solution. Of course, one can hire a "Verification Agency" for a price, but if the agency is unknown, who would you verify their credentials with? Perhaps from the second case onwards, you may start believing them.

Many companies, especially in the government sector, use the services of the nearby police office to conduct such verifications. However, it is not ruled out that they might extract 'something' from the candidate, so it's not expected to be 100% credible.

Regards,
Kumar S.

Importance of Verifying Educational Qualifications

We insist that the candidate furnishes information about their qualifications right from SSLC onwards to their recent academic achievements. They also need to produce the original certificates obtained in support of the above.

We also insist that the candidate produce the convocation certificate for the degree/PG qualification obtained.

In some instances, we have observed that candidates make a declaration in the application form stating they have completed a degree/PG qualification, but upon further investigation, we have found that it was merely a course completion certificate. A course completion certificate does not signify that the candidate has completed a degree/PG. Therefore, it is essential to insist on their mark sheets, provisional certificates (if they have recently completed their degree/PG, as universities may take over a year to issue convocation certificates), and convocation certificates.

Many companies verify certificates only after selecting a candidate. However, in my opinion, this may lead to delays and potential issues. Identifying discrepancies in academic qualifications post-selection can put employers in a difficult position. Conducting thorough verification at the initial stages can prevent such problems.

Verification at the preliminary stage is significant as it assists in structuring the candidate's salary. Comparing the candidate's qualifications/experience with existing employees helps in determining the appropriate remuneration/grade.

Regards,
M.V. Kannan

Dear Ms. Khyati, we would like to know the way you have been planning to implement for the educational background check. Nonetheless, many others would benefit from the same. Thanks!

Regards

In our organization, several forms such as the Joining Form, Personal Data Form, Attestation Form, Marriage Declaration Form, etc., are filled out once the individual arrives for joining after receiving the offer of appointment. Certificates issued by competent authorities are then checked. If necessary, some of the certificates may be sent to the issuing authorities for confirmation.

Sometimes, while the person has already joined, based on specific complaints from other sources, a reference is made to Vigilance and/or the Police for the verification of antecedents. If the declaration made by the employee or certificates are found to be false or fake, after conducting the due process of a Domestic Enquiry, the person may be subject to major punishment, including dismissal from service.

In any case, the onus lies on the employee to prove that the declarations made by him are true. Thank you.

To verify the education of a particular candidate, you need to contact the university or board. It is a fundamental right. Why can't you write a letter to the educational institutions, college, or university if you have any queries about certificates? For any information about institutions, companies, or colleges, please feel free to write a letter and get the details.

Cheers,
Harikrishnama Raju.G

Dear Hari,

It is important to note that verifying a candidate's education is not a fundamental right. Universities and institutions cannot disclose information about an individual without proper authorization. Authorization from the candidate is required to proceed with such verifications. Verification agencies typically request an authorization letter from the candidate to initiate the verification process.

Thank you.
Regards

Verification of Educational Certificates

Universities are under the purview of RTI. You can check their respective websites to find the concerned officer responsible, and then send your request for verification.

Regards,

[QUOTE=Employment Lawyer; 2042348]

Universities and RTI Compliance

Universities are under the purview of RTI. You can check their respective websites and look for the concerned officer responsible. Then, you can send your request for verification.

Private Deemed Universities and RTI Act

All private deemed universities are under the ambit of the RTI Act since they obtain this status through a notification issued by the Central government under the UGC Act.

Regards,
Kamal

Document Verification Process at Our University

As the Controller of Examinations at the largest private sector university in Pakistan, one of my responsibilities is to verify the authenticity of degrees, diplomas, and other documents issued by us and those of other institutions from time to time. At our University, we have developed a Management Information System (MIS) in the examination cell. Once we receive a document for authentication/verification, the system includes an in-built mechanism to verify the document with the backup of the watermark and the physical attributes of the document itself. The document is then authenticated by the university seal and signed by me for onward transmission. The process is neither tedious nor costly, and I can confidently claim that it is 99.999% accurate.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely