Kerala introduces new hologram-embedded adhesive label for certificate attestation

Kerala introduces new hologram-embedded adhesive label for certificate attestation

Stung by the prevalence of fake certificate attestation done by unscrupulous agencies, NoRKA-Roots, the field agency of the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA), which acts as an interface between the Non-Resident of Keralites (NRKs) and the Government of Kerala, has brought in a new hologram-embedded adhesive label for the attestation of certificates of candidates from Kerala.

The State introduced the new feature following reports of counterfeiting of the seal used by the NoRKA-Roots for attesting the certificates of candidates from Kerala, by various agencies. Speaking to The Hindu, Ajith Kolassery, chief executive officer of NoRKA-Roots, said various agencies from different countries have brought the issue of fake certificates bearing the counterfeit attestation of NoRKA-Roots to the attention of the State government. An inspection carried out by the NoRKA-Roots revealed that there were certificates of fake educational qualification bearing the seals with the imprint of the NoRKA-Roots.

“Also, we could find that even those who have cleared the examination were also cheated by some travel agencies by providing fake attestation of the NoRKA-Roots. Against this backdrop, the State has decided to come up with a new hologram security label embedded with advanced anti-counterfeiting features like QR code, which are difficult to replicate,” said Mr. Kolassery.

This is the first time in the country that a State government agency has come up with advanced security features for certificate attestation. With attesting around 60,000 certificates annually, the prevalence of fake attestations will put the credibility of the State and Centre agencies at stake globally. The new advanced feature will also enhance the State’s global responsibility.

With the introduction of the new system, there will be no more attestation of certificates using the traditional ink seals. The new attestation sticker is non-removable and incorporates 23 new security features. Attestation information is encrypted and recorded in it. It also enables embassies or other agencies to quickly confirm the authenticity of certificates, said NoRKA-Roots officials. The new advanced feature was prepared with the technical support of the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT), a State government institution.

NoRKA-Roots is the only institution in the State authorised by the Central and Kerala governments to certify educational certificates of candidates. The service is available through three certificate authentication centres operating at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode.