What is the Full Form of NAD

NAD: National Academic Depository

NAD stands for National Academic Depository. It was created out of a vision to give out all the academic awards online. The National Academic Depository (NAD) is open all the time every second to collect the entire academic awards, such as certificates, diplomas, degrees, mark sheets, etc. The awards are supposed to be digitized and uploaded through academic assessment bodies, boards or institutions registered with NAD. The NAD or National Academic Depository makes sure that the accessibility is given along with retrieving the provision of an academic award. Also, it provides validation and guarantee regarding the authenticity and safety of the award.

How does NAD or National Academic Depository work?

Everyone today has knowledge about the DigiLocker app. It is an initiative through the Digital India program of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY). The main goal of DigiLocker is to bring empowerment digitally and accessibility to authentic documents in their digital formats to the citizen in their digital wallet. As we know, the digital documents issued through DigiLocker are considered to be similar and valid to the original document in the physical format.

Role of UGC in the NAD or National Academic Depository

On 27th October 2016, the cabinet decided to set up a digital area for the academic awards in its meeting. As a response, as soon as the cabinet approved, the University Grant Commission (UGC) was given authorization as a unit to go as a single depository to DigiLocker in a Memorandum of Understanding. It was under section 20 (1) of the 1956, University Grants Commission Act that this step was taken.

How to register on NAD or National Academic Depository?

The following are the details to be followed to get registered with the platform:

1. The NAD system user is needed to choose DigiLocker as the sole depository unit for the NAD.
2. The NAD system user should click on the link, which will take them to the website of NAD, i.e. https://nad.digitallocker.gov.in, where they can provide the data or required information to get themselves registered.

What are the features of the NAD or National Academic Depository?

The features of the NAD or National Academic Depository are as follows:

1. It works in a full-time online mode.
2. It permits the placement of Academic Awards in the digital platform while preserving its unitedness in the accessibility to the data structure of the awards.
3. It enables getting back lost academic awards at any specific time.
4. It enables employers or others to check the award's authenticity before approving it for the candidate.
5. It makes sure that the data fed to it is authentic, confidential and integrated.

What are the services provided by the NAD or National Academic Depository?

The following are the services given by the National Academic Depository (NAD):

1. Giving registration to the Academic Assessment Bodies, Boards and Institutes.
2. Providing students with an account registration facility with the help of an Aadhar Number or Mobile Number.
3. Giving verified users the provision to register.
4. Giving permission to the Academic Assessment Bodies, Boards and Institutes to upload the academic awards issued.
5. Allowing the students to see the awards linked to their personal accounts.
6. Providing the provision to download or print the authenticated copy of the award received.
7. Permitting the entities who have registered for verification to verify the authenticity after consent from the student.

NAD also let Academic Assessment Bodies, Boards and Institutes link the award to the NAD Accounts of the specific concerned student if needed.

Who are the stakeholders of the NAD or National Academic Depository?

The following are the stakeholders of the National Academic Depository (NAD):

1. Academic eligibility assessment bodies, education boards and academic institutions.
2. Verified bodies, such as banks, employer companies, government entities, academic institutions/universities/boards/eligibility assessment bodies, etc.
3. DigiLocker
4. Ministry of Education
5. Students
6. University Grants Commission
7. Other Recipients of Awards

Which educational institutions are to be covered under NAD or National Academic Depository?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) lists the institutes under the NAD. The following are its main categories:

1. The Central Educational Institutions
2. Approved Eligibility test conducting bodies
3. Central Board of Secondary Education
4. Central Universities
5. Degree-giving Central Higher Educational Institutions and institutions which are given powers by a Parliament Act or the Legislature of State
6. Diploma providing Central Higher Educational Institutions
7. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDS) approved institutes.
8. State Universities and Deemed to be Universities approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC)
9. University Grants Commission (UGC) approved Private universities
10. Other School Boards