In News:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has recently announced partial relaxations for schools regarding the submission of Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) IDs linked to the List of Candidates (LOC) for Classes 10 and 12 board examinations. The move comes in response to multiple representations from schools highlighting technical and administrative challenges.

About APAAR

APAAR, launched under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aligned with the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCrF), aims to assign every student in India a unique 12-digit lifelong academic identity. Key objectives include:

• Consolidation of all academic achievements, such as marksheets, certificates, and co-curricular accomplishments, in a single digital record.
• Facilitating credit transfers, mobility between institutions, and recognition of prior learning.
• Enhancing flexibility in education and supporting seamless integration with the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).

Integration with Academic Bank of Credits

The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), conceptualized under NEP 2020, serves as a digital repository of students’ academic records, enabling storage, transfer, and redemption of credits across recognized institutions. Integrated with APAAR, it allows students to move between schools and higher education institutions without repeatedly submitting physical certificates, thus promoting educational mobility and continuity.

Challenges in APAAR Implementation

Since its rollout, schools have reported several hurdles in generating APAAR IDs:

• Technical integration issues between school portals and the APAAR system.
• Mismatches between school records and Aadhaar-linked student data.
• Time delays due to correction or updating processes.
• Lack of parental consent, often arising from privacy concerns.

CBSE’s Guidelines and Partial Relaxations

To address these challenges, CBSE has provided the following instructions for schools while submitting LOCs:

• Parental Consent Denial: If APAAR IDs cannot be generated due to refusal of parental consent, schools must retain a copy of the consent refusal and mark the entry in the LOC as “REFUSED”.
• Technical or Other Issues: For IDs that cannot be generated due to technical or administrative reasons, schools should mark the LOC entry as “NOGEN”.
• All Other Cases: Wherever feasible, APAAR IDs should be indicated in the LOC.

CBSE has also activated an online module for Children With Special Needs (CWSN), enabling schools to apply for various examination-related exemptions. Examination forms for private candidates of Classes 10 and 12 have been consolidated along with the LOC submission schedule to ensure clarity and timely compliance.

Support Measures

CBSE has emphasized that these relaxations are intended to ensure smooth and error-free LOC submission within the stipulated timelines. Schools facing further difficulties are advised to reach out to their respective regional CBSE offices for assistance.

Significance

The APAAR initiative represents a key step toward a digital, lifelong academic identity for Indian students, enhancing transparency, mobility, and integration with the Academic Bank of Credits. CBSE’s temporary relaxations reflect a pragmatic approach to smooth implementation while addressing operational challenges faced by schools.

In News:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for students to submit their APAAR ID during board exam registration, beginning with the 2026 board examinations. This marks a major step in integrating India’s education system under the Digital Public Infrastructure for Education (DPIE).

What is APAAR ID?

• Full Form: Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry.
• Origin: Envisioned under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
• Nature: A unique, permanent 12-digit identification number assigned to every student from pre-primary to higher education.
• Function: Tracks a student’s entire academic journey, consolidating degrees, report cards, scholarships, awards, and credits.
• Integration:
  • Linked to Aadhaar for authentication.
  • Records stored in DigiLocker for easy and secure access.
  • Generated through the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+).
• Vision: Embodies the principle of “One Nation, One Student ID”, serving as a lifelong academic passport.

Objectives of APAAR

1. Unified Academic Record – Create a lifelong, universally accessible digital database of academic achievements.
2. Seamless Transfers – Facilitate smooth migration of students across schools and institutions.
3. Transparency & Verification – Eliminate fake certificates and duplication through verifiable digital records.
4. Policy Support – Aid educational policymaking and data-driven governance by maintaining standardized records.
5. Student Empowerment – Provide students easy access to academic documents via DigiLocker.

Why is CBSE Making APAAR Mandatory?

• Until now, CBSE schools submitted student lists for Class 10 and 12 exams with registration details in Classes 9 and 11.
• There was no standardised identity system, causing inconsistencies and lack of verifiability.
• Linking APAAR ID with registration ensures accuracy, transparency, and elimination of duplication in student records.
• The Ministry of Education has mandated APAAR adoption as part of DPIE for improved data management and transparency.

Concerns and Safeguards

• Concerns Raised: Parents have expressed fears of misuse of personal data and privacy breaches.
• Government’s Assurance: Information will only be accessible to authorized educational entities—such as UDISE+, scholarship agencies, recruitment boards, and institutions—and strictly for academic purposes.

Significance

• APAAR will transform academic governance by creating a single, verifiable, lifelong academic identity.
• It will help students, institutions, and policymakers by streamlining record-keeping, enabling mobility, and ensuring trust in credentials.
• In the long term, it could become the backbone of India’s digital education ecosystem, aligned with NEP 2020’s vision of inclusivity, efficiency, and accountability.

In News:

The Centre and several State governments are pushing for large-scale adoption of the APAAR ID, leading to concerns over privacy, data security, and its voluntary status.

What is APAAR?

APAAR stands for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry, a 12-digit unique student identification number. It is a central digital record system introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and is part of the broader ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative. The ID consolidates students’ academic and co-curricular achievements across school and higher education, accessible via DigiLocker and generated through the UDISE+ portal.

Objectives and Benefits:

• Seamless Academic Mobility: Enables smooth transfers between schools and institutions.
• Permanent Record Keeping: Stores marksheets, qualifications, and affiliations in one place.
• Career and Skill Support: Facilitates use in entrance exams, job applications, skill training, and admissions.
• Data for Policymaking: Helps track educational outcomes and inform targeted interventions.
• Integration with Other Platforms:
  • DigiLocker: Cloud-based certificate storage recognized under IT Rules, 2016.
  • Academic Bank of Credits (ABC): Links credit transfers with APAAR ID.

Is APAAR Mandatory?

• Legally Voluntary: The Union Government clarified in Parliament (Dec 2024) that APAAR registration is not compulsory.
• Implementation Pressure: CBSE and states like Uttar Pradesh have aggressively pushed for 100% coverage, leading to confusion.
• Opt-Out Provision: Parents can submit a written refusal to schools. Templates are available from digital rights organizations like the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC).

Generation Process:

• School verifies student’s demographic details.
• Parent/guardian provides consent (especially for minors).
• ID is generated post-authentication.

Key Challenges:

• Privacy Concerns: Collection of children's personal data without a dedicated legal framework raises constitutional questions.
  • Section 9(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 prohibits tracking and profiling of children.
  • Risk of data exposure due to open APIs and lack of cybersecurity safeguards.
• Lack of Transparency: No clear policy document; RTI applications have been redirected multiple times without clear answers.
• Administrative Burden: Teachers duplicate data already recorded under UDISE+, leading to extra workload.
• Technical Glitches: Issues in Aadhaar linking and data mismatches delay generation. Example: Only 24% APAAR generation in Bengaluru Urban South due to such errors.

Way Forward:

• Clear Communication: Government must ensure schools inform parents about the voluntary nature.
• Legal Safeguards: A robust data protection mechanism should be mandated before full-scale rollout.
• Capacity Building: Train school authorities on secure data handling and informed consent procedures.
• Monitoring and Accountability: States should report progress and resolve grievances via helplines and grievance redress mechanisms.