The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a significant update for students completing Class 10 and Class 12. From the 2025 board examinations onwards, students will no longer receive physical (hard copy) Migration Certificates. Instead, these important documents will be issued only in digital format through the government’s Digilocker platform .
This digital Migration Certificate will be considered fully valid for all admissions to colleges and other higher education institutions across India. This new system aims to make the process of getting and using these certificates simpler, faster, and more environmentally friendly.
Migration Certificates Go Digital from 2025
CBSE has officially stated that starting with the board exams conducted in 2025 , the practice of issuing physical Migration Certificates for Class 10 and Class 12 students will stop. This means if you are appearing for your board exams in 2025 or any year after that, your Migration Certificate will only be available online.
Students will be able to access their personal Migration Certificates directly from their Digilocker accounts. Digilocker is a secure cloud-based platform for storing and sharing important government-issued documents. Once in your Digilocker, you can easily view, download, or share your certificate with colleges or other institutions, removing the need for physical paperwork.
Digital Documents are Accepted Everywhere
Students might wonder if a digital certificate will be accepted by universities. The answer is yes. The University Grants Commission (UGC), which oversees all universities in India, has already issued a directive to all colleges and universities. This directive advises them to accept degree certificates, mark sheets, and other educational records that are available through Digilocker as official and authentic documents.
This directive ensures that the CBSE digital Migration Certificates will be widely accepted for all admission processes, removing any doubt about their validity. This change means less hassle for students who previously had to collect and submit physical copies, which could sometimes get lost or damaged.
No More Fees for Digital Certificates
Another welcome change is related to the cost of these certificates. CBSE has confirmed that there will be no fee charged for the digital Migration Certificate. In the past, students were required to pay a fee to obtain a physical copy. This fee will now be removed entirely for the digital version.
This makes the process of getting this important document not only more convenient but also completely free of cost for students moving forward.
How to Get a Physical Copy (For Now)
While the switch to digital is happening from 2025, CBSE understands that some students might still need a physical copy for specific needs, especially during this transition period or for past exam years. If you require a hard copy of your Migration Certificate, there is still a way to get it.
Students can apply for a physical copy through the Duplicate Academic Document System (DADS) available on the official CBSE website. This system allows students who may need a hard copy for exceptional reasons or those who passed their exams before 2025 to request one. It is important to note that this option is for specific cases, as the primary method will now be digital.
Benefits of the Digital Shift
This move to digital Migration Certificates is part of CBSE’s broader effort to embrace technology and promote paperless governance. It aims to provide students with easy and quick access to their verified academic documents anytime, anywhere, using the Digilocker platform.
This shift reflects the changing times and the growing use of digital services. CBSE noted that in recent years, only a small percentage of students actually applied for a physical Migration Certificate. For example, out of 17,04,367 students who appeared in the Class 12 examinations, only 38,386 students applied for a hard copy. This statistic shows that most students are already comfortable with digital documents, making this transition a practical and efficient step towards modernizing educational administration.
This digital-first approach will streamline administrative tasks, reduce environmental impact, and offer greater convenience and security for students’ important educational records.
