HEC to launch blockchain degree attestation system by June 30

Pakistan’s higher education sector is heading toward a major digital shift after the Higher Education Commission announced plans to introduce a fully online degree attestation system powered by blockchain technology. The initiative, reported on Monday, is designed to let students and graduates apply for attestation, track their requests and verify academic credentials without travelling to HEC offices or handling stacks of physical paperwork.

The proposed platform marks a significant departure from the traditional attestation process, which has long required applicants to appear in person, wait through multiple administrative steps and often face delays that are especially difficult for people living outside major cities or abroad. Under the new plan, the HEC wants the process to move into a secure digital environment where requests can be submitted and processed electronically, cutting both time and friction for applicants.

Officials said the new system will be developed with CMPak and its joint venture partner Wibbow Technologies. The digital platform is expected to allow users not only to submit attestation applications online, but also to monitor the progress of their cases in real time. By shifting to a blockchain-backed model, the HEC is aiming to strengthen security, reduce the chances of tampering and make authenticated academic records easier to share with employers, foreign institutions and government bodies.

The commission has also set a target date that gives the project immediate policy importance. According to officials cited in the report, the system is scheduled to become operational by June 30. The initial rollout is expected to connect the HEC with 25 universities as well as the Foreign Office’s attestation directorate, a move that could make the process far more streamlined for graduates seeking international opportunities, visas, scholarships or overseas employment.

The decision comes after sustained criticism of the old attestation mechanism. Earlier this year, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Government Assurances pressed the HEC to reduce the turnaround time for degree attestation and address the burden being placed on students. Members of the committee argued that the prevailing system was cumbersome, costly and unnecessarily difficult, especially for young people who already face financial and logistical pressures when trying to enter the job market or pursue higher studies.

That parliamentary pressure appears to have helped accelerate the reform push. During a committee briefing, the HEC chairman said a comprehensive, robust and secure blockchain system was being prepared as part of a broader digital transformation effort. The commitment was framed not simply as an administrative upgrade, but as a direct response to lawmakers’ concerns over delays, inefficiency and the lack of convenience for applicants who depend on timely verification of their degrees.

The wider significance of the project goes beyond paperwork. In Pakistan, degree attestation plays an important role in recruitment, public-sector applications, foreign admissions and credential checks for migration and professional licensing. Any delay or irregularity in the process can affect thousands of graduates each year. A reliable digital system could therefore improve trust, reduce opportunities for fraud and help make official academic verification faster and more transparent across institutions.

For Pakistan, the initiative also reflects a broader move toward digitising public-facing services in areas where manual systems have long created frustration. If implemented effectively, the HEC platform could become a model for how technology is used to simplify citizen services while improving document security. The real test, however, will come in execution: whether the system launches on schedule, works smoothly across institutions and delivers the speed and credibility that students have been promised. If it does, the reform could become one of the more practical and widely felt education-sector upgrades in recent years.