Case Study - Cheran Colleges

1. Cheran Colleges boosts time and cost efficiency by issuing digital certificates for students Cheran Colleges has been taking an innovative approach towards education since 1991. With the Authlink platform, they are enhancing convenience, security and efficiency in their efforts to transform their existing paper-based certification systems. The Challenge Cheran Colleges used to create and issue paper certificates for students. This posed several challenges to both the students and the college administration, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic period.

2. The following were the major concerns: 1. Delay and steep costs of printing: It costs around $0.33 to $0.66 to create a single paper certificate, because of which the expenses added up when a mass number of certificates were issued to meet the requirements of multiple college events. Adding security features (such as holograms) to the certificates during printing also drove up costs even though they did not work as expected due to poor methodology. It thus became important to find an alternative to stay within the budget. Similarly, it took a lot of time for college authorities to get each certificate printed and verified. This caused major delays in sharing certificates to students and increased risks of mismanagement as well. Source: Building Minds, Minding Buildings 2. Authentication issues: Each paper certificate needs to be authenticated at the administrative office, which tends to be a lengthy process when done manually. Therefore, it took a lot of effort and time for college authorities to accurately verify the data authenticity for the certificates of each student in the college.

3. 3. Risk of forging: Paper certificates are quite easy to forge, and it is almost impossible to trace each student’s certificate manually to figure out if they have been manipulated at any point. Source: UK NARIC 4. Difficulties faced by students: Once a student lost his/her paper certificate, there was usually a long wait to get it replaced. This was because paper certificates are not convenient to print, authenticate and share. Each student was required to be present at college to receive their paper certificates. It was too risky to share valuable documents with each student. This left the administrators no choice but to mandate students from across the country to be present at the time of certificate issual. There were also delays caused due to the requirement of getting the certificates signed from several departments. 5 Consumption of resources and manpower: It was necessary for at least 15 to 20 people to work for 10 to 15 days in order to get all the printing, assembling, distribution and other certificate management tasks done

4. on time. The additional costs incurred in strengthening the security of college certificates, and ensuring that all official protocols were being followed also turned out to be a major drain of manpower and resources as well. The Solution Cheran Colleges sought assistance from Authlink to effectively resolve the issues they were dealing with. With the blockchain-driven Authlink platform, Cheran Colleges has been able to implement the following solutions: 1. Issue and authenticate certificates online: Cheran Colleges was able to make an effortless switch from paper certificates to digital ones with Authlink. HTML blockchain verified certificates are much easier to manage, issue and authenticate than traditional certificates, which also boosts time and cost efficiency in all aspects. With a single click, college authorities shared over 400 certificates to students with complete security and accuracy.

5. 2. Distribute digital copies to students all at once: Digital certificates eliminate the need for students to physically come to college and receive their certificates. Instead, they can access their certificates from the comfort of their own homes through their smartphones or computers. This has helped in cutting down commute costs and efforts for students, and has also made it simple for the college authorities to deliver certificates to each student. Cheran Colleges recently shared over 300 certificates online with students belonging to several states across the country. 3. Set up a secure and automated system to verify certificates: Using the digitally-secured Authlink platform, the administrative office does not need to spend valuable time and resources on verifying each certificate manually. Instead, it is possible to upload a verified digital signature to the system and use it to get all the certificates authenticated with ease. All the issued certificates are easily verifiable across the Authlink ecosystem. 4. Enable students to apply for certificate copies online: By shifting to the digital space with Authlink, Cheran Colleges has been able to set up a safe and efficient system for students to apply for their certificates online. This has made it a lot easier and time-effective for students to replace lost certificates. 5. Boost sustainability: By digitizing certificates, college authorities have become more sustainable in their certificate issual activities and also significantly reduced paper waste. They are also able to save space and manage certificates better than with the traditional system.

6. 6. Create digital experiences for students: Through the Authlink platform, students can access data relevant to their own course/branch, and also find out all the information they need with minimal hassle. The platform offers a chance for students to connect with their college better, view online brochures and unlock new digital experiences. 7. Bring down security risks: The digital certificates issued with Authlink are cryptographically secure and quite difficult to tamper with or manipulate. Therefore, when compared to physical ones, they cannot be forged easily. The platform has thus given Cheran Colleges a practical way to ensure that each certificate is genuine. Why Cheran Colleges Opted for Authlink Authlink is helping Cheran Colleges ease their certificate distribution and management efforts through digitization by enabling:

7. ● A secure digital space to verify and issue certificates. ● Effective services to cut down on college expenses. ● An accessible platform for authorities and students alike. ● Feasible solutions to handle certificate management hurdles. Authlink’s collaboration with Cheran Colleges is leading the way to update outdated document management systems in the education sector Authlink offers a state-of-the-art platform in which organizations can digitally enhance the traceability, manageability and verifiability of their documents. The platform records relevant data in a manner that is tamper-proof and secure. Revolutionizing traditional systems Making the digital transition for your educational institution is simple with Authlink

8. Schedule a demo of the platform or sign up for the beta version to start using Authlink’s services. To find out more about Authlink’s premium blockchain-driven solutions, visit www.authlink.com