Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) will use blockchain technology to award about 50,000 degrees to its engineering and management graduates and postgraduates during the convocation on September 9. The move makes it the first university to use blockchain & aims to make issuing and verifying degrees safer, faster, and more transparent.
AKTU’s Assistant Registrar, Ayush Srivastava, said the move was aimed at creating a tamper-proof, decentralized system to safely store and verify academic credentials. He said the system would streamline processes for students, educational institutions, and employers while ensuring that records remain authentic and secure.
According to The Times Of India report, Vice Chancellor JP Pandey said, “This digital system creates and validates academic credentials through a secure computerised database, ensuring authenticity and preventing unauthorised alterations. Blockchain provides a reliable method for issuing and managing digital credentials. This system eliminates possibilities of errors or manipulations in university documents. Students will have the ability to print their digital degrees as needed.”
He added that cases of fraud in degree mark sheets often occur in many universities, and this step is part of the university’s effort to upgrade its technology. Examination and result information will be distributed across multiple servers. Degree mark sheets will be compiled using roll numbers and other unique identifiers.
Pandey further stated, “Blockchain enhances degree and mark sheet security through immutability, transparency, and decentralised verification, making it difficult to forge or alter records once they are recorded on the blockchain.”
During the convocation, AKTU will award around 75 gold, silver, and bronze medals to meritorious students. The medal list has been declared, and objections to it can be raised until Tuesday, after which the final merit list will be published. Cash awards will also be given to the Chancellor Gold Medal and other category winners.
Blockchain Gains Ground in India
AKTU’s efforts also indicate that India is gradually moving towards blockchain adoption, which has raised hopes of a “New India” in digital infrastructure. Recently, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal met Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge to explore collaboration on blockchain, cybersecurity, and developer engagement. They discussed developer tools, training programs, cybersecurity partnerships, and possible joint hackathons.
Also Read: India’s RBI Greenlights Blockchain Platform to Aid MSME Financing
