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Certificate | Certificate Online, What is a Certificate? Types of Certificates and Purposes

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Certificate: A certificate is essentially a document that contains a certified statement about a particular aspect, or a subject. A certificate also serves as proof or evidence of ownership of an object, a title or an event. There are many types of certificates, the most well-known ones being academic certificates and medical certificates. Certificates such as academic certificates are acquired after the candidate passes a particular exam or a test.

The process of attesting or confirming a certain aspect of a person or an organization is called certification. Certifications are often awarded by methods such as accreditation, audit and assessment. Sometimes, certificates are also handed for participation or to just boost morale. Historically, certificates served the same function as they do today – that is to verify or attest a particular aspect or a confirmation of certain characteristics of a person, organisation, or an object. Certifications are of many types – each catering to their own specific requirements. Read on to explore more.

Certificates Types

There are many types of certifications awarded the most prominent are:

Academic Certificates

An academic certificate is a document certifying that an individual has cleared an exam, a series of tests or has received a specific education.

Professional Certificates

Online Professional certificates are certificates that state that the holder has the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to perform a specific job or task. The certificate is usually an attestation of the aforementioned provided by a third party, professional societies or universities. Professional certificates are of three types:

Community Certificate

Character Certificate

A character certificate or a police certificate is a certificate issued by a government authority, police, or any other institution to an individual stating that the latter does not have any criminal proceedings nor bad records in their previous institutions.

Certificate 1

Cyber Security Certificates

Cybersecurity certificates are usually standards and techniques set to ensure the safety of the user’s data during online interactions. When we interact through an online platform, there are many risks that we are exposed to – such as malware, spyware, trojans, viruses, worms, rootkits, backdoors, logic bombs and more. In order to prevent these malicious programs from exploiting our data, there are tools and practices that safeguard our data. These include security concepts, guidelines, policies, risk management approaches and best practices and updated technologies.

Digital Certificates

Also called a Public Key Certificate, it is an electronic “key” that encrypts the information that is transferred between users and a website. This encryption is necessary because the number of people and the number of businesses online increases every year. Moreover, when the internet was created, security was not a priority because it was designed to be an open communications network. Over time, criminals have found ways to exploit information, thereby stealing data and money. Hence, digital certificates were introduced as a solution to this problem.

Medical Certificate

A medical certificate is a statement issued by a qualified medical practitioner or a doctor attesting the result of the medical examination of a patient. Medical certificates are required for employment purposes, to make insurance claims, for tax benefits, or for legal purposes. Medical certificates also act as a sick note, stating that an employee unfit for work. Medical certificates are also furnished by students in case of absence stemming from illness. Sometimes, medical certificates are used to certify that an individual is free of a contagious disease, mental illness, or other health issues.

Certificate 2

Other Certificates

Conclusion on Certificates

Certificates are important documents that attest to facts or other information. Some certificates are required for employment purposes or educational purposes. Similarly, medical certificates are used to attest that an individual is fit/unfit for employment. From an information technology perspective, certificates can also be used to ensure the safety of personal data during online interactions.

FAQ’s on Certificates

Question 1.
What do you mean by certificate?

Answer:
A certificate is a document that contains a certified statement/ attestation about a particular aspect, or a subject.

Question 2.
What is a community certificate?

Answer:
A community certificate is a document that is issued by the government to certify that an individual belongs to one of the designated social castes present in India.

Question 3.
What is a matriculation certificate?

Answer:
Matriculation certificate is a certificate awarded to students who have cleared their class 10 or 10th-grade exams. The term was introduced during the British Raj, however, it is still currently used in India.

Question 4.
What is a gap certificate?

Answer:
A gap certificate is a kind of self-declaration made using non-judicial Stamp paper that justifies a break taken by a student during an academic course.

Question 5.
What is a provisional certificate?

Answer:
Provisional certificates are certificates that are used on behalf of the original academic certificate stating that the student has cleared their respective exam.

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