Varsity to use blockchain technology to issue digital degrees to graduates

THESE DIGITAL DEGREES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FEATURES WHICH MAKE THEM EASILY VERIFIABLE GLOBALLY

LUCKNOW: The Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) will use blockchain technology to issue digital degrees in the convocation to be held on November 26. Adhering to the new tech-era AKTU has taken the initiative to adapt blockchain technology to distribute digital degrees to their graduating students, the university said in a press release.

These digital degrees are equipped with the features of self-sovereign identity, verifiable credentials, selective disclosure of information, and zeroknowledge proof system, which make them unforgettable and easily verifiable, globally.

The identity data need not be stored in a server somewhere and only be present in the digital wallet of the identity holder, but also, the user can decide when, who and how much of its identity data can be sent to a verifier (such as airport check-in desk, hotel reception, banks, telecom operators etc.), an official said.

This technology was developed at IIT Kanpur and was productised by its incubated startup Trential and was first launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 54th Convocation of IIT Kanpur and is currently being used by several governments, academic and private organisations across the country namely IGNOU, NIT Rourkela, IIT Indore, etc.

The digital degrees are just a part of the more significant initiatives and developments Trential has undertaken under the national blockchain project led by Padma Shri Prof Manindra Agrawal and Prof Sandeep Shukla who further said that the plan is now to expand both to other states and other institutions shaping the new era of digital credentialing and strengthing India’s digital ecosystem. The credit for this belongs to the young leaders of Trential (led by Mukul Verma (IITB), Tanmay Yadav (IITK)) and former and current national cyber security coordinators Dr Gulshan Rai and General Rajesh Pant.

The idea that took birth as Trential under the dynamic research and development ecosystem of IIT Kanpur is now amplifying in multiple ways to make digital security a hasslefree and seamless process.