One Nation, One Student ID Initiative

By Amigos IAS

Why is it in the news?

Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR)

About

  • It’s an ID system for all students in India, active for a lifetime.
  • Tracks academic progress from pre-primary to higher education.
  • Acts as a gateway to Digilocker, allowing digital storage of academic documents.

 

Purpose

  • Reduce the need to carry physical documents.
  • Track literacy rates, dropout rates, etc., aiding state governments.
  • Reduce fraud and duplicate certificates.

 

Functioning of APAAR ID

  • Linked to Academic Bank Credit (ABC), a digital storehouse of student’s academic credits.
  • Stores certificates from both formal and informal education.
  • Digital certification of achievements securely stored by authorized institutions.
  • Transfers all academic data when a student changes schools using APAAR ID, eliminating the need for physical transfer certificates.

 

Registration Process

  • Students provide basic details like name, age, date of birth, gender, and a photo.
  • Verification using Aadhar number, which is only for matching name and date of birth.
  • Consent form to be signed by students or parents for minors.
  • Sharing Aadhar and demographic information with the Ministry of Education for APAAR ID creation is voluntary.

 

Concerns with APAAR

  • Sharing of Aadhar details raises privacy concerns.
  • Fears of personal data leaks.

 

Other features

  • Government assures confidentiality of shared information.
  • Information sharing limited to educational entities like Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) database, scholarships, academic records, institutions, and recruitment agencies.
  • Students can opt to stop sharing their information, though already processed data will remain.

 

Conclusion

  • APAAR is a significant digital step in India’s education system under the National Education Policy.
  • It promotes efficiency, transparency, and equal access to education.
  • Aligns with the vision of a modern, tech-driven educational ecosystem in India.

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