Why governments need to endorse Ethereum to issue certificates

In a technological water-shed moment for India, the Government of Maharashtra recently announced it has adopted a credentialing system powered by Ethereum (blockchain network) to provide tamper-proof educational certificates.

This move follows the Blockchain success stories in Singapore, Malta and Bahrain. Singapore especially, has emerged a pioneer in Asia with its welcoming attitude towards technologies such as cryptocurrencies and Blockchain. The country’s government has created a blockchain-based platform that enables recruiters to validate the educational credentials of job seekers from Singapore’s educational institutions.

Since 2019, all graduating students have received highly secure digital certificates for their N, O & A levels, as well as technical diplomas and degrees from polytechnic institutions. The LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications are just some of the prestigious academic institutions that are now issuing blockchain-powered digital certificates.

The Maharashtra State Board of Skill Development (MSBSD) has accepted the benefits of this technology to tackle the problem of fake credentials and forged documents. Although the move is ground-breaking, it is just the first step in India’s fight against counterfeit certificates. 

At Certif-ID, we believe that large-scale adoption of blockchain technology can bring trust and transparency back to the educational sector. This will lead to harmonizing educational standards and bring equal opportunity to technical professionals around the world.

Having said that, one of the greatest challenges towards the adoption of a ground-breaking technology like Blockchain are doubts about its security, economic viability and ease of use. 

Firstly, let us have a quick look at how secure the technology really is, along with their innumerable benefits.

Blockchain-based digital certificates

Replacing paper certificates, blockchain-based digital certificates are educational certificates issued on blockchain. They look like a PDF and are issued directly from an institute to a candidate. A blockchain-based digital certificate contains a QR code and verifiable link which can be scanned and clicked on to verify the skills. 

Issuing a blockchain-based digital certificate will boost a candidate’s credibility and employability. And, improve an institute’s visibility and marketability. It also saves time for employers as they can click on a link and verify a candidate’s education; reducing the time and effort spent on background and certificate verification.

How does digital credentialing work?

• On-boarding of institutes on the Certif-ID platform: When an institute creates a profile on the Certif-ID platform, they can list courses, create training batches, assign students to each batch and issue digital certificates to those who complete the course.
• Issuing digital certificates via Certif-ID: The institutes registered on Certif-ID can directly send students their digital certificates powered by blockchain through email and into their Certif-ID wallets. Digital certificates are highly secure, and once sent, cannot be modified by any third party; only the issuing institute can revoke and reissue a certificate.
• Improving employability of recipients: Candidates with digital certificates can apply for a job anywhere in the world with confidence as blockchain allows employers to verify the certificates immediately and make an informed decision about hiring a candidate or not.
• Analysing certification trends: The institute can track the performance of their certification by looking at the advanced analytics dashboard provided by Certif-ID. They can track the number of students, popular courses, certificates issued, certificates verified and more.

Benefits of blockchain-based digital credentials issued on Certif-ID

1. Unmatched security of operations: Any hacker looking to manipulate the content of a certificate (data in a block) would require computational power that exists only in theory. Moreover, if a person tries to make a change in a blockchain system, 51% of the entire blockchain system will need to approve of it which is practically impossible. Even if a change is detected in any one of the nodes (systems involved in the Blockchain), the administrators can shut down that node for safety. This ensures that tampering with credentials is impossible.
2. Economic viability and ease of operations: Investing in blockchain technology can be the most economical and secure option. It does not require the setting up of expensive infrastructure or the hiring of skilled labour. Once a training institute registers on Certif-ID, they do not require any third-party assistance in the form of softwares to utilize our services. Institutes can contactlessly issue digital certificates, reduce operational time and logistics cost involved in paper-based certificates that can take days and weeks to verify and dispatch. 
3. Easy verification of certificates: Once a student shares their certificate, recruiters or anyone with access can verify the certificate within a few clicks. This leads to reduced time spent in background checks, and also facilitates granular verification of credentials. 

Digitisation of certificates is gaining popularity and Certif-ID is removing some of the major challenges including threats to data security and privacy, and the high cost of setting up and maintaining a dedicated centralized infrastructure. 

Also read: 5 Reasons why you should choose blockchain-based digital certificate https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/5-reasons-why-you-should-choose-blockchain-based-digital-certificates/

Certif-ID is aimed at ensuring the legitimacy of documents is the most robust and scalable way to prevent fraud and improve credential recognition across borders.

To find out more about how Certif-ID can help digitize your certification process, please schedule a meeting.

If you like what you’ve read so far and you have questions feel free to schedule a meeting or write to us here.