(Karachi) Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood announced that an e-portal and a mobile application have been launched for the issuance of equivalence certificates.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, Shafqat said the initiative will help in simplifying the inconvenience being faced by students in acquiring the certificates.

"Previously, the students used to apply at the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) office and waited in long queues and it was a very cumbersome process," the education minister said.

He added that during the process, the students also risked losing important documents.

Education's future lies in technology: Shafqat

"After meetings with the local and international boards, we have set up an online system for equivalence certificate which will help facilitate the students greatly," the minister highlighted.

He mentioned that a student can send an online application to get the process done and they would not have to go anywhere physically, and the payment will be made online as well.

"One of the biggest conveniences in this regard is to be able to track the progress of the application online. The IBCC will subsequently post the certificate to the student."

Board exams to begin after June 15

"The certificate will also be available in PDF format in the future," he added.

Mahmood pointed out that the move will bring a revolutionary change to facilitate the youth and make processes easier for the public. "With the verification system becoming digitised, there won't be any further delays [in the processing]," Shafqat remarked.

"This step will have far-reaching effects and we hope for more such measures to improve the overall academic and exam system and to address the issues faced by the students," he said.