Blockchain Technology Game Changer for Indian Education Sector

Digital transformation in the education system has been going on for quite some time. The Covid pandemic has accelerated the pace of digitization affecting all aspects of the sector. From students using digital platforms for studies to external exam and evaluation processes at schools, colleges and universities, to doubt clarifications from chatbots to preparation for competitive exams; digital tools have made deep inroads now. The recently announced National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is likely to take the digital drive of the education sector to a new level with universal access as one of its key principles. In particular, the use of new technologies including AI, ML, AR/VR, blockchain and big data is also on the rise. For example, in a first, graduating IITians were awarded their degrees in a blockchain-based digital form last year.

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The administration of educational services covers more domains than just issuing certificates and diplomas to students. It includes a complete overview of the student induction process, including the creation of an identity number for each student which is then used to create access to various services and opportunities. Similarly, an institution also creates identifiers for employees to enable tracking through various administration application modules such as HR, payroll, professional development and such. In order to approach the topic of digitization of processes, a holistic approach must be taken.

Hybrid learning has taken center stage in the post-Covid world. Now, educational institutions are increasingly adopting hybrid learning to improve access for students and expand their reach. Despite life returning to normal, access to quality education is still a long way off in remote regions of the country. To overcome this challenge, blockchain technology can be effectively utilized. Because blockchain technology creates digitally verifiable credentials that are essential to any form of digital education. Like cryptocurrency, where blockchain creates identifiable ledgers, similar applications can be pursued in the education sector. For example, students can be issued credentials with short and memorable identifiers using blockchain technology. These identifiers can store the learning progress, requirements and challenges of individual learners. So a student profile becomes an active digital resume that helps design a specific glide path, depending on his or her progress in academic subjects. Such a digital identifier becomes an indelible proof of the identity of the student during his lifetime.

Verifiable credentials also provide employers, educational institutions, and other organizations with a reliable and standardized way to verify the authenticity of students. Many states in India have seen fraudulent activities to get jobs from candidates through providing fake certificates of education, reservation and others. As blockchain-powered credentials tamper-proof and these thus reduce the chances of such fraudulent activities. Another important result of having digitally verifiable identification is that it provides better security and safety for students’ and staff’s sensitive information. According to Check Point Research, the Indian education sector witnessed the second highest number of cyber attacks in 2022 after healthcare. Leveraging digital technology such as blockchain can protect such sensitive information from cyber attackers. It also helps the sector comply with data governance and auditing rules.

Blockchain technology can help the Indian education sector in capacity building in many areas, especially for personnel working in the sector. Administrators can review, manage and build competency pathways and recognize achievements through the inclusion of certificates, badges and micro-credentials that are portable and can be received, stored and exchanged in a digital wallet. Given the upskilling requirement, such digital wallets created through blockchain technology can be a game-changer in improving the overall quality of education. Increasingly, schools and institutes are implementing various programs that can contribute to effective collaboration. This new software is equipped with, among other things, file sharing, video conferencing and chat functions. Having ready-to-use information registries created through blockchain goes a long way in improving operational efficiency.

Despite such obvious advantages, the preparedness of the Indian education sector remains low when it comes to leveraging digital technologies. The main challenges are poorly equipped educational institutions, reasonable infrastructure and a lack of a proper budget to create proper IT systems, among other things. The education sector is also facing a dire shortage of skilled technical manpower. Against this backdrop, educational institutions both public and private must spend more on technology to make the learning system efficient.

Globally, the potential for the use of blockchain technology in the education sector is enormous. According to market research firm Business Research Insights, the market size of blockchain in the education sector has the potential to touch $1 billion by 2028 from around $120 million in 2021. Therefore, the Indian education sector should quickly leverage blockchain technology through right-wing partnerships. technology partner to ensure quality education for students.