BlockVarsity

BlockVarsity is a proof-of-concept (POC) decentralized incentive-based education and certification platform. This project is built to demonstrate the core architecture detailed in the IEEE conference paper "Revolutionizing Education: Exploring the Potential of Blockchain Based Incentive Systems" (authored by Gautam Karat and Jinesh M. Kannimoola).

It features a dual-layer architecture:

1. Smart Contracts: Full Solidity contracts for the token rewards (ZEPH ERC-20) and skill certifications (SKCRT ERC-721).
2. Interactive Frontend Dashboard: A glassmorphic web dashboard containing a built-in persistent blockchain ledger simulator, a proctored exam engine with malpractice checks, a rewards marketplace, a verification portal, and a live block explorer.

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Key Features

• Wallet Simulator: Simulates Web3 account setups, tracking mock balances for gas (ETH) and education incentives (ZEPH).
• Proctored Exams with Malpractice Detection: Simple tracking of window focus and active browser tab. If a student leaves the page three times, the proctor session automatically terminates. Includes a mock live webcam feed.
• 3D Certificate Wallet: Interactive cards that flip 3D to show on-chain certificate metadata, cryptographic transaction receipts, and verification QR codes.
• Spend Rewards Marketplace: Allows students to exchange their earned ZEPH tokens for merchandise or simulated interview slots.
• Verification Portal: Public query system allowing anyone to check certificate validity by serial number.
• Block Explorer: Visual block height and transaction log tracking gas costs, nonces, and receipts (matching the structure of Figure 2 in the research paper).

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Project Structure

To transfer BlockVarsity to another machine, copy the following files:

blockvarsity/
├── contracts/                     # Solidity Smart Contracts
│   ├── ZEPHToken.sol              # ERC-20 Reward Token
│   ├── SkillCertificateNFT.sol    # ERC-721 Certificate NFT
│   └── EducationPlatform.sol      # Enrollment & Mint Coordinator
├── src/                           # Client Application Code
│   ├── assets/                    # Static styling resources
│   ├── components/
│   │   ├── WalletConnect.jsx      # Simulated signup/connector
│   │   ├── CourseList.jsx         # Courses grid catalog
│   │   ├── ExamProctor.jsx        # Proctor exam paper + focus tracking
│   │   ├── CertificateWallet.jsx  # Interactive 3D certificates wallet
│   │   ├── Marketplace.jsx        # Utility token spending shop
│   │   ├── VerificationPortal.jsx # Certificate serial number validator
│   │   └── BlockExplorer.jsx      # Figure 2 replica transaction explorer
│   ├── services/
│   │   └── blockchainSim.js       # Persistent browser ledger simulator
│   ├── App.jsx                    # Coordinate router & layout
│   ├── index.css                  # Core HSL glassmorphism styles
│   └── main.jsx                   # Mount logic
├── index.html                     # Application index page
├── package.json                   # Dependency definitions
├── vite.config.js                 # Vite compilation details
└── README.md                      # Setup & usage instructions (this file)

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How to Pack and Transfer

1. What to Pack

You should pack all files in the project directory EXCEPT the node_modules folder (which contains local dependencies that are reinstalled on the destination system).

2. Packaging Command (Linux/macOS)

From the directory containing the project, run:

zip -r blockvarsity.zip blockchain-education-platform -x "**/node_modules/*"

Copy blockvarsity.zip to your target system.

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Installation & Setup

Follow these steps on the target system to set up and run the application.

Prerequisites

Make sure you have Node.js and npm installed:

• Download Node.js (Version 18+ recommended)

Step-by-Step Installation

1. Extract the project zip file on the target system.
2. Open a terminal and navigate to the project directory:

   cd blockchain-education-platform

3. Install dependencies using npm:

   npm install

   This will install React, Vite, and all developer dependencies.

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Running the Application

Development Mode

To start the hot-reloading development server:

npm run dev

The console will display the local URL (usually http://localhost:5173). Open this URL in your web browser to run the platform.

Build and Preview

To compile the application into static production assets:

npm run build

The compiled build output will be stored in the dist/ directory. To preview this production build locally, run:

npm run preview