Degree Certificate Apostille in West Bengal: Kolkata Graduates Going Abroad
Graduates of the University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology often need a degree certificate apostille in West Bengal before a foreign admission or job. INFINITYGRO Attestation is a private Delhi agency that prepares the file and carries it to the MEA Apostille. We are not part of any government office.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Degree certificate apostille sample
Can a Calcutta University degree be apostilled without visiting Kolkata offices? Yes. Most clients choose the Delhi route, where a notary and the SDM in Delhi attest the degree before the MEA Apostille. A degree certificate apostille in West Bengal by this route usually takes 2 to 3 working days. The state route through the Home (Foreigners and NRIs) Department in Kolkata is used only when the receiving body insists on state verification.
The universities behind most Bengal degrees
West Bengal has old affiliating universities with hundreds of colleges, and newer specialised ones. The name at the top of your degree is the issuer, even if you studied at a college in a district town.
- Affiliating universities: University of Calcutta, University of Burdwan, University of Kalyani, Vidyasagar University in Midnapore, University of North Bengal near Siliguri, and West Bengal State University in Barasat.
- Unitary and research universities: Jadavpur University and Presidency University in Kolkata.
- Technical: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, earlier called West Bengal University of Technology, which covers many engineering and management colleges.
- Central and national: Visva-Bharati at Santiniketan, IIT Kharagpur and IIEST Shibpur.
Key facts
| Apostille authority | Ministry of External Affairs, CPV Division |
|---|---|
| West Bengal state route | Home Department (Foreigners & NRIs), Kolkata |
| Large state universities | University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, University of Burdwan, University of Kalyani, Vidyasagar University, University of North Bengal |
| Technical university | Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), formerly WBUT |
| Central and national | Visva-Bharati, IIT Kharagpur, IIEST Shibpur |
| Charge with INFINITYGRO | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document on the Delhi route; courier extra |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 for each document |
WBUT and MAKAUT degrees
Engineers who graduated some years ago may hold a degree in the name of West Bengal University of Technology. Newer degrees carry the name Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology. Both are genuine documents from the same university under different names.
MAKAUT also awards degrees to students of many private engineering, management and pharmacy colleges across the state. Your college name may appear on the mark sheet, but the university signs the degree.
If a foreign employer is confused by the two names, a short letter from the university confirming the change can help. That letter is a separate document. If the employer wants it apostilled too, it goes through the same steps as the degree.
Options for a degree certificate apostille in West Bengal
Option 1: Delhi. Notary, SDM Delhi, then the MEA. This is accepted for most educational documents from any state and is what most of our Bengal clients use.
Option 2: Kolkata. The Home Department (Foreigners & NRIs) authenticates the degree, and then the MEA adds the Apostille. Use it when a foreign university, employer or licensing body asks in writing for state verification.
Option 3: e-Sanad. Only for institutions connected to the MEA's e-Sanad system. Your passport number goes into the application, so a passport copy is needed. Many Bengal universities are not on it, so we check first.
Sending papers from Kolkata
Kolkata clients courier their originals to our office at New Ashok Nagar, Delhi. Use a reputed courier and keep the receipt. Place the degree between two stiff cards so the corners do not bend.
We confirm receipt on WhatsApp. When the apostille is complete, we send the papers back by Blue Dart or a similar tracked service, billed separately. Our team does not come to Kolkata homes to collect papers.
If a family member lives in Delhi NCR, they can drop off and collect for you with a signed authority letter.
Part mark sheets, transcripts and the provisional
Many Bengal universities issue a separate mark sheet for each part or semester. Every one of them is its own document for the MEA. A transcript issued by the controller of examinations is another separate document.
The provisional certificate is issued soon after results. The final degree certificate comes later, sometimes much later. Universities and employers abroad mostly ask for the final certificate. If you hold only the provisional, ask the receiving body whether it will accept it before you spend on an apostille.
When Kolkata's Home Department needs to see the degree
A small number of foreign bodies, such as some medical councils, teacher registration boards and universities, ask for state verification. If your letter from them says this, the degree certificate apostille in West Bengal should go through the Home Department (Foreigners & NRIs) in Kolkata before the MEA.
The state office may refer the degree back to the university to confirm it. That can add time, and we cannot promise a date for a state office. If the letter does not mention state verification, the Delhi route is usually accepted and is quicker. Send us the exact wording you received and we will advise.
Bengali text and name spellings
Some older degrees and mark sheets include Bengali text. Receiving offices that cannot read it usually ask for a certified translation. INFINITYGRO can arrange this through our translation service, in English or the language of your destination.
Bengali names are often spelt in more than one way in English. If your degree says "Chattopadhyay" and your passport says "Chatterjee", the MEA file needs a notarised affidavit linking the two. Flag it early so it does not hold up the file.
Packing list and destination check
- Original final degree, unlaminated
- Original mark sheets or transcript you need apostilled
- Passport copy
- Signed authority letter
- Name affidavit, if needed
The Apostille is accepted in Hague Convention countries such as the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and most of Europe. For a Bengal graduate bound for China or Germany, the Indian Apostille will not work. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt need MEA attestation and embassy legalization, which our embassy attestation service handles.
Real degree certificate apostille samples
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
West Bengal degree certificate apostille FAQs
Will the MEA verify my Jadavpur University results?
No. The MEA checks the signature of the authenticating officer only. The university is responsible for what the degree says.
Can I walk into the MEA with my degree?
No. Since July 2012 the MEA has accepted documents only through its authorised outsourced centres, not from individuals at the counter.
What does each degree certificate apostille in West Bengal cost?
Our all-inclusive Delhi route charge is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, including the MEA's Rs 50. Courier is extra.
Is a Calcutta University degree accepted in Saudi Arabia with an apostille?
Saudi Arabia accepts the Apostille. For the UAE, see our UAE attestation charges, since it needs embassy legalization.
Do you also handle polytechnic diplomas from Bengal?
Yes. See our West Bengal diploma page for the council that issues them.
I have a degree from Odisha as well. Can you do both?
Yes, in one file. The Odisha details are on our Odisha degree page.
Other documents from West Bengal
- Marriage Certificate apostille
- Birth Certificate apostille
- Degree Certificate apostille
- Diploma Certificate apostille
- PCC apostille
Degree Certificate apostille in other states
Getting a West Bengal 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.