Know Your Candidate Digitally

What is the true meaning of a certificate? I found myself asking this question while reading about some Andhra Pradesh colleges withholding certificates from nursing students and asking them to work for a "service period" of a year in an affiliated hospital before being "released."

- MADHAVAN NARAYANAN

A nurse quoted in the story was planning to apply for a job in her home state, Kerala, using the certificate. The coercive clause delayed her life plan.

It's baffling how such a modern form of bonded labour exists, under which, apart from paying college fees, one has to work for a stipulated period too. No wonder the legal validity of such a contract is facing public interest litigation now.

But I do understand collaterals. The talk of an "original certificate" brought back memories of thick papers signed by calligraphic hands, with stamps of approval that made faking difficult. One carefully saved a "provisional" certificate, followed by its "original." Employers usually returned the original after inspection of copies duly attested by a government officer or an equivalent. But then, there were some nasty employers who held back the originals as collaterals to prevent employees from leaving.

Legally, a certification is proof of qualification that the dictionary defines as "action or process of providing someone or something with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement." By that yardstick, the Supreme Court has clarified that Aadhaar is sufficient as a certificate of residency to enable a voter identity, but not as a proof of citizenship. The prime minister's post-graduation certificate has been a subject of legal banter over its verification.