The APAAR ID card is a digital identification system that aims to provide students with a unique number to store their academic records, achievements, and credentials. This student ID card aims to smooth out academic progress monitoring and facilitate easy transitions between institutions for higher education, such as MBA degree courses. As part of the National Educational Policy 2020, which aims to improve record-keeping, schools are promoting the APAAR ID. Let's explore whether APAAR enrollment is compulsory or optional and examine the current trends.

What is an APAAR ID?

The Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) aligns with the government's 'One Nation, One Student ID' vision for India. The APAAR ID is linked to Aadhaar and stored in DigiLocker, allowing students to access identifying data or documents such as their mark sheets and institutional affiliations. An APAAR is generated through the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) portal. This portal provides regional academic statistics along with data on schools, teachers, and students. 

Why is APAAR Being Implemented? 

The Education Ministry is driving the rollout in schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), aiming for complete student registration. 

The APAAR ID card offers distinct ID numbers to school, college, and university students, allowing for digitized and centralised academic records. Some benefits include:

1. It provides easy access to academic credits, degrees, and other crucial information in higher studies, such as online MBA courses.

2. Thanks to the card, students' academic data are digitized and centralized in one convenient location with a tracking number that students can use throughout their academic tenure.

3. Students' Aadhaar cards and APAAR IDs are linked, ensuring academic consistency, ease of credit transfer, and eligibility verification.

4. APAAR aims to promote flexibility, accessibility, and diversity in education by allowing students to view their academic achievements without relying on paper-based records, including prizes, extracurricular activities, and certificates.

5. APAAR ID provides employers with a reliable and unchangeable record of a candidate's academic qualifications, reducing the risk of fraud or misrepresentation.

6. This ID allows students to pursue courses across diverse domains by making the admissions process quicker and easier.

APAAR ID: Mandatory or Voluntary? 

While the APAAR ID card is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended for students studying in schools, colleges, and universities in India. 

The government has described the benefits of APAAR to students, such as permanently recording data on various aspects, including transfer, entrance examinations, admission for higher studies, such as an online MBA, job applications, skilling, and upskilling. While it is not mandatory by law, the CBSE and states like Uttar Pradesh have set expectations for schools to issue IDs to all students. The Union government confirmed the optional nature of APAAR in December 2024.

APAAR Registration

Students must use a valid Aadhaar card for e-KYC reasons and create an account on DigiLocker to register for an APAAR ID. Before starting the registration procedure, schools and institutions must get parental authorization. The procedure entails:

1. Choose 'Student' from the Academic Bank of Credit's website.
2. Enter your address, Aadhaar information, and cellphone number to create a DigiLocker account.
3. Enter your login information to access DigiLocker.
4. Provide DigiLocker permission to give ABC access to your Aadhaar data for KYC verification.
5. Give academic information such as the name of the school or institution and the class you are enrolled in.
6. Fill out the form to generate an APAAR ID.
7. Fulfill the requirements for a student's name to match in UDISE+ records and PEN (Personal Education Number) for creating an APAAR ID.

Data Security Considerations

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) has raised concerns about the APAAR programme, which collects data on minors, including educational certificates and grades, without a proper law to support it. The IFF claims that gathering data on kids on a large scale is unlawful without a law. Instructors have also questioned the necessity of APAAR, claiming that UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education) has already compiled the data. The IFF emphasizes that Section 9(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, prohibits tracking, behavioral monitoring, and targeted advertising aimed at children.

It also warns that open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and data sharing channels without robust safeguards can expose children's data to third parties. The APAAR framework must therefore ensure cybersecurity, as the data being processed pertains to children. 

Parents can opt out of the APAAR ID scheme for their children by writing to their respective schools. The Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC) offers a template for this purpose. 

Conclusion

The APAAR ID card is suggested for students in India's schools, colleges, and universities. DigiLocker is used for e-KYC procedures and the safekeeping of educational records. The APAAR ID card is a lifetime identifier, allowing students to track their educational path and access electronic records for future opportunities. It can be linked with services like scholarships and loans. 

Although the APAAR ID is not mandatory by law, most institutions are treating it as a de facto standard to align with the National Education Policy and digital transformation goals. However, parental consent is still required due to the card's sensitive personal details, and you can always opt out when needed.