Let’s clean up our certification

Most Indians were outraged when the United Kingdom announced that Indian passengers vaccinated in India and travelling to that country would be treated as unvaccinated. We questioned the double standards of the once imperial power. We also wondered why it cannot appreciate the fact that the Indian vaccine is made based on the very technology and process developed on its own soil. But when they advanced in subtle ways the reasoning that prompted them into taking such a decision, most Indian patriots felt embarrassed — the vaccine is not the issue but the process of certification of the vaccinated person is.

Can the British, after all, be blamed? There have been random reports of mismanagement of the vaccination process and certification in India. Sometimes, foreigners may not be able to condone certain slips even while the Indian authorities chase records. Every country has the right to set its entry norms, especially during a pandemic.

The issue with certification is not limited to vaccinations only. It is endemic. We follow a curious and spurious certification programme in most spheres — from university credentials and Aadhaar to driving licences and passports. Without stirring out of home, you can have your driving licence delivered at your doorstep, or add a PhD to your name without stepping onto a university campus even once. All for a price, though, which travellers to Britain may find affordable.

It is time India as a nation reviewed its certification processes. Technology can be the enabler in this regard; but the critical difference must happen in the Indian mindset. We should shed the thought that ad hocism is a panacea. It will not get us through the mess, but embarrass us instead.