Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday, 27 June 2026 that the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) has been integrated with the central government's DigiLocker platform, enabling fully paperless document verification for civil services aspirants across the state.

Context

In his post, CM Sarma described the development as 'big news for our aspirants,' noting that the integration would ensure 'hassle-free, paperless document verification — eliminating the need to submit scores of physical documents.' He also highlighted that the move would help APSC verify candidate credentials 'without the risk of forgery.'

The announcement directly addresses two long-standing pain points in Assam's public-service recruitment process: the burden on candidates to produce multiple original certificates at successive stages, and the vulnerability of the verification pipeline to fraudulent documents.

Policy Backdrop

DigiLocker was launched in 2015 under the Digital India programme as a national digital document wallet, allowing citizens to store, share and verify official documents electronically with government agencies. The platform is operated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and is linked to a citizen's Aadhaar number, making document authenticity traceable at source.

From 2019 onwards, several state public service commissions began connecting to DigiLocker to enable secure online verification of educational and identity records. States such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have undertaken similar integrations, reflecting the national emphasis on reducing administrative friction in government recruitment.

The APSC integration now places Assam within this expanding network of states that have aligned their recruitment infrastructure with central digital platforms, and fits into the state government's broader agenda of administrative modernisation.

Stakeholders and Impact

The most immediate beneficiaries are candidates appearing for APSC examinations — a cohort that typically runs into tens of thousands across civil services, combined competitive, and departmental recruitment cycles. Under the earlier system, aspirants were required to carry and submit physical copies of marksheets, certificates, caste documents and identity proofs at multiple stages, creating logistical hardship and scope for document tampering.

With the DigiLocker link, documents stored in a candidate's verified digital locker can be pulled directly by APSC officials, removing the need for physical submission and reducing the risk of forged certificates entering the system. Recruitment bodies and state departments that rely on APSC merit lists also stand to benefit from a cleaner, more auditable verification trail.

What's Next

The operational impact of the integration will become clearer during the next APSC recruitment notification cycle, when candidates will be able to use the paperless pathway for the first time end-to-end. Observers will also watch whether other northeastern state service commissions follow Assam's lead and pursue similar tie-ups with DigiLocker, a step that could standardise digital verification across the region. The CM's announcement signals that Assam intends to position itself at the forefront of e-governance reform in Northeast India.