Blockchain-Based Academic Certificate Verification System

Problem statement

Fake academic certificates are a growing issue, causing trust problems for employers, universities and government agencies. Traditional verification methods are manual, slow and sometimes unreliable. There is a need for a secure, tamper-proof system that allows instant verification of certificate authenticity.

Abstract

This project implements a blockchain-based certificate verification platform where educational institutions issue digital certificates that are cryptographically linked to transactions on a blockchain. Each certificate’s hash is stored in a smart contract. Employers and third parties can verify the authenticity of a certificate by comparing its hash with the on-chain record. The system ensures that once issued, certificate records cannot be modified or forged without detection.

Components required

• Public or private blockchain platform (Ethereum / Polygon testnet / Hyperledger Fabric)
• Smart contract written in Solidity (for EVM chains)
• Web3-enabled frontend (React / Next.js with ethers.js or web3.js)
• IPFS or secure file storage for certificate PDFs (optional)
• Institution admin portal for issuing certificates
• Verifier portal for checking certificates

Block diagram

Working

When a student graduates, the institution generates a digital certificate (PDF or structured data) and computes its cryptographic hash (e.g., SHA-256). The hash, along with metadata such as student ID, course, CGPA and passing year, is stored in a smart contract transaction on the blockchain. The actual certificate file may be stored in IPFS or the institution’s secure storage. When an employer or verifier wants to check a certificate, they upload or scan the document to recompute the hash and query the smart contract. If the hash matches an existing on-chain record and the issuer details are valid, the certificate is authentic. Any tampering with the document results in a mismatched hash and failed verification.

Applications

• Universities and colleges issuing digital degrees
• Recruiters verifying candidate qualifications
• Government scholarship and admission verification
• Professional certification bodies and training institutes