Sir , my son's college is asking for Original documents like 10th and 12th Marksheets to be kept with them and then they will return it after the completion of 4 years B.Tech. Do all Engineering colleges do that? Can I give them the Digilocker or Digital CBSE marksheet as it is also a valid original digital certificate that can be used everywhere as stated by CBSE in their official notice?

Ans: You must submit all original hard-copy documents required by the college at admission, and they will provide you with an acknowledgement receipt—keep this safe. Make photocopies and save digital copies in your email or on your laptop as backups. After you complete your degree (or even just before graduation in some colleges), the originals will be returned. This is a standard policy at nearly every institution to prevent misuse of documents once you enroll. Although Digilocker documents are recognized as valid original digital certificates, most institutions still require submission of physical original documents and may not accept digital copies alone. (KEY REASONS for Demanding Original Documents Are As Follows—
Verification and Fraud Prevention: Many institutions and authorities remain cautious about digital document tampering. While Digilocker certificates are government-verified, some organizations still prefer physical originals to minimize the risk of digital forgery or manipulation, especially for high-stakes admissions, legal, or financial processes.

Institutional Policy and Legacy Systems: Numerous organizations have not yet fully updated their policies or integrated with the Digilocker ecosystem. Their administrative procedures are still based on traditional practices that mandate physical verification, and staff may lack training or infrastructure to handle digital-only workflows.

Regulatory Compliance: Certain regulatory bodies, universities, and government departments require physical originals to comply with specific legal, audit, or archival standards. These requirements may be set by central or state regulations that have not yet been amended to fully recognize digital alternatives.

Limited Digital Acceptance: Some authorities may not have access to the Digilocker platform or may not be on the list of registered verifiers. As a result, they are unable to authenticate digital documents in real time and thus default to demanding physical originals.

Transition Phase: India is in a transitional phase toward digital governance. While Digilocker is increasingly accepted, complete adoption is gradual, and authorities continue to require originals as a safeguard until digital verification becomes universally trusted and standardized.

Although Digilocker certificates are valid and government-recognized, authorities often require original physical documents due to concerns about fraud, outdated institutional policies, regulatory mandates, limited digital infrastructure, and the ongoing transition to fully digital systems. This ensures authenticity and compliance until digital verification is universally reliable and accepted). All the BEST for Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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