1. What is DigiLocker & National Academic Depository?
DigiLocker is the Government of India’s flagship cloud-based platform for issuing and verifying documents and certificates. Through the National Academic Depository (NAD) ecosystem, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) stores digital copies of academic awards across millions of graduating students annually.
Instead of waiting weeks for schools to receive and distribute physical printed grade cards, students can access legally certified digital certificates on DigiLocker immediately following result publication.
2. Legal Validity under the Information Technology Act
A common question among students and parents is whether a digital certificate downloaded from DigiLocker is acceptable for university admissions, passport applications, and employer verification.
Statutory Rule 9A of the IT Rules, 2016: Documents issued in DigiLocker are treated on par with original physical documents under Rule 9A of the Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries Providing Digital Locker Facilities) Rules, 2016. The University Grants Commission (UGC) and all central universities (including Delhi University, IITs, NITs, and BHU) legally accept DigiLocker marksheets.
Every DigiLocker certificate features a cryptographically secure digital signature from the Controller of Examinations, CBSE, alongside a machine-readable QR code that verifiers can scan instantaneously to authenticate the record against central repositories.
3. The 6-Digit CBSE School Security PIN
To safeguard student privacy and prevent unauthorized access to examination records, CBSE provisions individual accounts through a secure credential known as the 6-digit Security PIN.
- Distribution by Schools: CBSE sends encrypted CSV files containing PINs to affiliated schools via the secure Pariksha Sangam portal prior to result declaration.
- Collection: Students receive their personal PIN from their school’s administrative office, class teacher, or internal student portal.
- Format: The PIN is a 6-digit numeric sequence uniquely mapped to your CBSE Roll Number.
4. Step-by-Step Document Access Walkthrough
- Open DigiLocker: Visit
https://www.digilocker.gov.in/or download the official DigiLocker app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store. - Sign In / Create Account: Log in with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number. If you are creating a new account, ensure your full name, date of birth, and gender match your official government identity documents.
- Access the CBSE Portal: In the search bar or under “Education & Learning”, select Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
- Choose Class XII Marksheet: Click on “Class XII Marksheet-cum-Passing Certificate”.
- Input Roll Number and PIN: Enter your 8-digit CBSE Roll Number, Passing Year (e.g., 2027), and the 6-digit school-provided Security PIN.
- Fetch & Save: Click “Get Document”. Once pulled, the certificate is permanently saved under the “Issued Documents” tab, accessible anytime without re-entering credentials.
5. Types of Documents Available on DigiLocker
For Senior School Certificate candidates, CBSE makes multiple verified credentials available:
| Document Type | Purpose | Availability Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Class XII Marksheet-cum-Certificate | Primary academic record for college admission cutoffs | Same day or within 24 hours of result declaration |
| Class XII Migration Certificate | Mandatory requirement when joining universities outside state or central boards | Simultaneous with marksheet |
| Skill Subject Certificates | Vocational stream certification and competency credits | Within 3 to 5 days of result declaration |
6. Resolving Mismatch & Sync Errors
If you encounter obstacles while retrieving your certificates, review these common solutions:
- “Document Not Available Yet”: While results appear online immediately, database replication across the NAD infrastructure can take up to 24–48 hours for certain school codes. Retry during off-peak hours.
- Name Discrepancy: DigiLocker matches your Aadhaar profile name against CBSE records. If minor spelling discrepancies exist (such as presence/absence of initials), contact your school’s DigiLocker nodal officer for manual reconciliation.
- Lost Security PIN: Contact your school examination cell. Schools maintain the complete master file and can re-issue your PIN instantaneously.
7. Printable DigiLocker Activation Checklist
Use this interactive checklist to verify your DigiLocker setup before college application portals open:
DigiLocker Certificate Acquisition Steps
0 of 7 completed- Collected official 6-digit security PIN from school administration
- Verified Aadhaar details match exact spelling on CBSE admit card
- Created or signed into DigiLocker account using registered mobile number
- Linked CBSE institution account using the 6-digit security PIN
- Pulled Class XII Marksheet-cum-Certificate into "Issued Documents"
- Pulled Class XII Migration Certificate for university admission portals
- Downloaded high-resolution PDF copies containing verifiable digital signatures
Information in this guide was compiled from public circulars and Examination Bye-Laws issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and National Informatics Centre (NIC). If you identify an outdated regulation, broken official link, or new board notification, please consult our Editorial Policy or submit a correction request via our Contact Form.