Ever tried to get a Migration Certificate?

Have you ever applied for a migration certificate from the university you last attended? Migration certificate certifies that the student XYZ has passed out from the university on ABC date and year, and the university has no objections to his/her taking admissions in another mentioned university.

Recently I needed migration certificate from my last attended university, NIT Durgapur. There was fee to be submitted to the cash counter of the adjoined bank, then there was an application form to be filled up, and I needed to attach zerox copies of my degree certificate and university registration certificate. Due to obvious reasons I didn't want to go the institute physically, so I got one presently studying junior to do that on my behalf. I said that I would send the certificates and one authorization letter to him by fax. But the head of academic section, an infamous Prof. from Mechanical Engineering department, said that I needed to show him the original degree and registration certificates. I didn't want to send my original certificates by mail/courier. Also, I didn't have much time left. I talked to him, but he said that was a university rule and he couldn't do anything. I talked to my HOD, who then talked to him, but he won't go back. So, I needed to go to the university myself, with the original degree certificate, in order to get a piece of paper called migration certificate.

I am just wondering, why universities are so strict while issuing migration certificates. I got to know the process followed in Mumbai University. The application form for getting the same is available on their website; any one can download it and fill up the hard copy, attach a DD and send the request by post. There is no need to be physically present, or to verify the original documents. But Mumbai University too is very strict. The application form is of 5 pages. It says it will issue only one migration certificate and if admission is not taken, the same should be returned back.

I am not able to understand why migration certificates should be treated as such an important document. All it says is that the student XYZ has passed out in the year ABC and the university doesn't have any objection to his/her taking admission in another university.

If an institute feeds all its students data in an online database, I think the migration certificate can be generated in a moment online. Anyone who wants to apply, can submit a fee online, through internet banking or credit card, and then fill up the particulars about him/her, like name, father's name, date of birth, etc for verification. Then a certificate can be generated electronically, whose printouts can be taken by the student.

In worst case, it may happen that someone else gets a migration certificate in some other person's name, because we are not verifying the student's authenticity rigorously enough. But how will this benefit the other guy? That migration certificate will be authentic only when submitted with original degree certificate and marks sheets. So where is the risk of forgery?

I am worried because after passing out form a graduate school, most of the people are working. Now when they want to pursue higher studies, they need a migration certificate from the last Uni. For that they need to go all the way to their alma maters, just to show the original degree certificates for verification.. That makes them to take 2-5 days leave, depending on the distance. Add to that the travel costs. Several universities have some different sets of rules, all in order to make life more difficult for us. Is not this another example of palling bureaucracy?