Madhya Pradesh to digitise 50m records on EDU Chain

Open Campus has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Madhya Pradesh and Geeks of Gurukul to digitise up to 50 million academic records held by the Indian state's universities.

The work will run over an 18-month period under a joint steering committee comprising representatives from Open Campus, the Madhya Pradesh government and Geeks of Gurukul.

The initiative covers records for students and graduates. Open Campus will provide infrastructure to create verifiable digital credentials for university learners and alumni across the state.

The project centres on Open Campus's EDU Chain, an education-focused blockchain designed for credential issuance and verification.

The partnership will issue verifiable credentials, digital IDs, wallets and smart cards, changing how academic records are retrieved and how education-linked identity checks are completed.

Employers will gain access to blockchain-based, verifiable records, enabling faster credential checks, reducing administrative burden and increasing confidence in qualifications. The programme is also positioned as a way to improve job-seeking outcomes for Indian graduates by strengthening trust in hiring processes and supporting job creation.

The memorandum of understanding includes plans to explore education financing options for students and graduates in Madhya Pradesh, including student loans, scholarships and upskilling grants.

This financing layer will integrate with an Open Campus ID onboarding programme for students and alumni. EDU Chain will manage secure data storage, credential issuance and API integrations for financing partners.

The proposal places academic credentials and financing services within a single technology stack, with Open Campus positioning itself as building a financial layer for education.

The governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai C. Patel, described the programme as an effort to change verification at scale, with university officials across the state involved in the initiative.

An event image released with the announcement identified Barkatullah University representatives among the attendees, including Prof. Suresh Kumar Jain, Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University, as well as the university's registrar and financial controller. Representatives from Geeks of Gurukul and Open Campus were also present.

"The scale of this digitization effort will transform how qualifications are verified, fostering a trusted job market and unlocking opportunities for millions of young professionals," said Shri Mangubhai C. Patel, Honourable Governor of Madhya Pradesh.

Governments and education providers are increasingly testing digital credential systems as employers seek faster verification of qualifications across large, mobile workforces.

Open Campus's work in Madhya Pradesh combines blockchain-based credentialing with a financing component linked to its EDU Chain network.

"By combining Open Campus's blockchain credentialing with EDU Chain's financing solutions, we're breaking down barriers to education and employment. This project sets a precedent for digital public infrastructure, offering a model for other states across India and nations across the globe," said Mohamed Ezeldin, President, Open Campus.

Open Campus said core contributors to its DAO include Animoca Brands, TinyTap, NewCampus, RiseIn and HackQuest. EDU Chain is built on Arbitrum Orbit and uses the EDU Token.

The joint steering committee will oversee the digitisation programme during the 18-month implementation period described in the memorandum of understanding.