Title: Blockchain-based public examination management platform

Authors: Dhruti Sharma; Kuldeep Kevat; Dhvani Maktuporia; Meet Oza; Dev Sadisatsowala

Addresses: Department of Information Technology, Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India ' Department of Computer Engineering, Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India ' Department of Computer Engineering, Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India ' Department of Computer Engineering, Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India ' Department of Computer Engineering, Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology, Surat, Gujarat, India

Abstract: The public examinations can be considered as a critical pathway for academic admission, employment selection, skill certification, etc. Such examinations are typically conducted by public examination management (PEM) platforms. Though the current PEM in India offers operational efficiency, they are still vulnerable to various malpractices including leakage of question paper, unauthorised access of confidential information, candidate impersonation as well as insider threat. Over the past decade, several hardware, software, and cryptography-based solutions have been proposed for secure exam conduction; however, none of them address all key vulnerabilities within a unified framework. In response, we propose a blockchain-based PEM (BPEM) platform integrating the cryptographic techniques, blockchain technology, and decentralised storage, i.e., interplanetary file system (IPFS). The proposed platform ensures tamper-proof question paper collection and distribution, secure registration and authentication of candidates, and immutable result declaration - effectively promoting fairness, trust, and accountability in public examination systems.

Keywords: blockchain; smart contracts; interplanetary file system; IPFS; public examination management; cryptography; biometric authentication; question paper leakage; candidate impersonation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICS.2026.154857

International Journal of Information and Computer Security, 2026 Vol.30 No.3, pp.333 - 372

Received: 15 Oct 2025
Accepted: 25 Mar 2026
Published online: 16 Jul 2026 *

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