With the recent mandate of several state governments requiring parental consent for the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR), a new student identity card scheme, there arises a crucial need to understand the intricacies of this new system. Implemented under the Union Government’s ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative, APAAR is an outcome of the National Education Policy of 2020.
The Purpose and Need for APAAR
The APAAR initiative is a measure aimed at streamlining the academic experience for students across India. Under this structure, each student will receive a unique, lifelong APAAR ID that will enable the tracking of their academic growth from pre-primary through higher education levels. Not only does it simplify processes for learners and institutions, but it also assists governments in monitoring progress.
An auxiliary feature of the APAAR ID is its integration with DigiLocker. DigiLocker is a digital platform where students can safely store crucial documents and academic accomplishments, such as examination results and report cards.
The primary objective behind introducing APAAR is to alleviate the need for carrying physical documents, thus making education more streamlined and hassle-free. The system is designed to empower state governments by providing key data such as literacy and dropout rates, which aids in policy development and infrastructure improvement. Moreover, APAAR aims to mitigate the risk of fraudulent and duplicate educational certificates by serving as a single, reliable reference point for educational institutions.
Functionality of the APAAR ID
In terms of functionality, each individual will possess a distinct APAAR ID linked to the Academic Bank Credit (ABC). This ABC is a digital repository holding records of all the academic credits earned by a student during his or her educational journey.
Should a student change schools, irrespective of inter or intra-state transitions, their data within the ABC will be transferred to the new school via the APAAR ID, eliminating the need for physical document submission or transfer certificates.
The registration process for APAAR is straightforward and voluntary. It involves providing basic personal information and signing a consent form that allows access to the applicant’s Aadhaar number and demographic data for authentication purposes by the Ministry of Education.
Concerns surrounding APAAR
Despite its numerous advantages, APAAR has sparked privacy debates among students and parents. Their primary concern is the potential risk of personal information leakage due to the sharing of Aadhar details.
In response, the government assures confidentiality, stating that the information will not be shared with any third party except entities involved in educational activities, like the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) database. However, critics argue that the absence of concrete guidelines for UDISE+ leaves room for potential data breaches.
About United Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+)
UDISE+, one of the most extensive Management Information Systems on school education, was introduced during 2018-2019. Intended to accelerate data entry, reduce errors, enhance data quality, and ease its verification, it collects comprehensive data about schools and their resources.
An upgraded version of the previous UDISE, it encompasses over 1.49 million schools, 9.5 million teachers, and more than 265 million students. This platform measures educational parameters from classes 1 to 12 in both government and private schools across India.