Degree Certificate Apostille in Andaman & Nicobar for Island Graduates
A degree certificate apostille in Andaman & Nicobar needs one extra check, because the islands' colleges have moved from Pondicherry University to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning (NSCBIHL). INFINITYGRO Attestation, a private agency in Delhi, confirms who awarded your degree, arranges the attestation and obtains the MEA Apostille. INFINITYGRO is an independent firm with no official role in the islands' administration.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Degree certificate apostille sample
Who awarded my degree from a college in Port Blair? It depends on your admission year. Students admitted up to 2024-25 at JNRM, ANCOL and other island colleges continue with Pondicherry University. NSCBIHL, a deemed university notified in March 2024, takes over degree awards after that. Either way, a degree certificate apostille in Andaman & Nicobar usually follows the Delhi route of notary, SDM Delhi and MEA.
From Pondicherry University to NSCBIHL
For years, the main colleges in the islands were affiliated to Pondicherry University. That includes Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), Andaman College (ANCOL), Mahatma Gandhi Government College in Mayabunder, Tagore Government College of Education and Andaman Law College.
In March 2024, the Ministry of Education notified NSCBIHL as a deemed university. Seven island institutions are its constituent units. DBRAIT moved under it from 2024-25. For the other colleges, students admitted up to 2024-25 continue with Pondicherry University, and NSCBIHL handles exams and degrees after that.
Much older graduates may even hold a degree from Panjab University. The A&N Administration's own list of institutes notes that the old Government College in Port Blair was affiliated to it.
Key facts
| Apostille authority | MEA, CPV Division |
|---|---|
| UT authority (state route) | Assistant Secretary (Home), Port Blair |
| Earlier awarding university | Pondicherry University (island colleges) |
| New deemed university | Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning (NSCBIHL), notified March 2024 |
| Constituent units | JNRM, MGGC Mayabunder, ANCOL, TGCE, ANIIMS, Andaman Law College, DBRAIT |
| Charge | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document; courier extra |
| Port Blair's new name | Sri Vijaya Puram |
Why the awarding university matters
The apostille process depends on a valid signature from the awarding university. A JNRM graduate of 2018 holds a Pondicherry University degree. A graduate admitted after the changeover will hold an NSCBIHL degree. The college name alone does not tell us which.
The same applies to ANIIMS medical graduates, Andaman Law College law graduates and Tagore Government College of Education B.Ed holders. Each has followed Pondicherry University and now NSCBIHL, depending on the year.
Send a scan of the degree before posting. We confirm the issuer and check whether the university is connected to e-Sanad. If it is, an online route may be possible, and a passport copy is needed.
Routes for a degree certificate apostille in Andaman & Nicobar
Delhi route: notary, SDM Delhi, then MEA. This is accepted for most educational documents from anywhere in India, and is the practical choice for island graduates.
UT route: the Assistant Secretary (Home) in Port Blair is the designated authority. Use this only if the receiving body asks for verification by the local administration.
e-Sanad: online, only for institutions connected to the MEA system.
Remember that the MEA looks only at the signature of whoever authenticated the degree. Our guide to the MEA apostille explains the stages.
Sending papers from Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram)
Port Blair is now officially Sri Vijaya Puram. Island clients courier their degrees to our New Ashok Nagar office in Delhi. Mail to and from the islands goes by air or sea, so allow more time than you would on the mainland.
Use a courier with tracking. Seal the degree in a waterproof sleeve, given the humid climate. We confirm receipt on WhatsApp and return the papers by Blue Dart or a similar tracked service, charged separately. Our staff cannot collect from homes on the islands. If a relative lives in Delhi NCR, they can drop off and collect in person.
Semester sheets and the provisional certificate for island graduates
Every mark sheet is a separate document with its own apostille. A transcript is another. Pondicherry University degrees often come with semester mark sheets, so count them before you plan.
If you graduated during the changeover, keep every paper together. A foreign university may ask why your mark sheets and degree carry different names. A letter from the college or NSCBIHL explaining the transition can help, and that letter can be apostilled too if required.
Island graduates sometimes leave for the mainland or abroad before convocation, carrying only a provisional certificate. That paper is not the final degree, and most foreign bodies want the final one. If you only have the provisional, ask the receiving body whether it will do.
When the Port Blair Home office route is worth it
The MEA lists the Assistant Secretary (Home) in Port Blair as the designated authority for the islands. A foreign regulator, such as a medical or teaching council, may ask for verification by the local government. Only then is it worth sending the degree through Port Blair before the MEA.
For most study visas and private jobs, the Delhi route is enough and avoids sending the original across the sea twice. We cannot give a fixed time for a UT office. Show us the exact request you received and we will tell you which route fits.
Checklist and destination rules
- Original degree, not laminated
- Original mark sheets you need apostilled
- Passport copy
- Signed authority letter
- Name affidavit if needed
The Apostille is accepted in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and most of Europe. Germany and China do not accept it. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt need MEA attestation and embassy legalization through our embassy attestation service.
Real degree certificate apostille samples
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands degree certificate apostille FAQs
My DBRAIT B.Tech degree is from NSCBIHL. Can it be apostilled?
Yes. DBRAIT has been a constituent college of NSCBIHL. The degree follows the same routes as any other. Send it with your semester grade sheets if the receiving body wants them, and we will confirm the cost first.
What does a degree certificate apostille in Andaman & Nicobar cost?
Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document on our Delhi route, all inclusive. The MEA fee of Rs 50 is part of it. Courier is extra.
Could I hand my Pondicherry University degree to the MEA on a Delhi trip?
Not at a counter. The MEA has dealt with the public only through authorised outsourced centres since July 2012, so even a visit to Delhi would mean going through one of them. We file through that channel for you.
Do you handle diplomas from the islands too?
Yes. See our Andaman & Nicobar diploma page.
My degree has a Hindi section. Do I need a translation?
That depends on the country. Most English-speaking destinations accept a bilingual degree as it is. Where a translation is asked for, our translation team prepares a certified one.
Other documents from Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Marriage Certificate apostille
- Birth Certificate apostille
- Degree Certificate apostille
- Diploma Certificate apostille
- PCC apostille
Degree Certificate apostille in other states
Getting a Andaman & Nicobar Islands degree certificate ready for abroad?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route, the timeline and one total price.