Do I need the original certificate for GCC attestation?

The MEA page states that the original (or a true copy) must be submitted with a photocopy of the document and of the applicant's passport, and that MEA does not legalise photocopies. The state authentication before MEA is also done on the original.

The UAE Embassy in New Delhi requires original personal-status documents (birth, marriage, death) and states that laminated documents cannot be attested. Oman's Foreign Ministry says documents must be originals. Qatar requires the transcript alongside a Bachelor's degree certificate.

If your certificate is laminated, ask the issuing institution for a fresh copy before starting; removing lamination usually damages the document.

If you are already in the GCC, you will need to send the original to India for the state and MEA steps (or have a family member submit it at an MEA outsourced centre). Qatar offers a paid 'Complete Attestation Outside Qatar' service that routes the document through the Qatari mission in India on your behalf.