 "Apaar ID for students: Does it require parental consent? Key details")
The Karnataka government has begun issuing 12-digit Automatic Permanent Academic Account Registry (Apaar) identity cards to students in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
Karnataka’s Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) is spearheading the initiative, which has drawn criticism from experts who argue that the state already has an existing ID system, the Student Achievement Tracking System (SATS).
What is the Apaar ID system?
Modelled after Aadhaar, the Apaar ID is designed to establish a ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ system, as outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). In February, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced during a conference in Delhi that 250 million IDs under the scheme had already been created.
Critics of the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government have accused the Congress of contradicting its earlier stance against the Centre-backed NEP by implementing the Apaar initiative.
What is the purpose of Apaar ID for students?
Apaar IDs are intended to serve as unique, lifelong identifiers under the ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative. According to the education ministry, these IDs aim to facilitate seamless transitions between schools, states, and institutions, enhancing accessibility and continuity in students’ academic journeys.
The Centre plans to integrate the ID with other education-linked platforms, including Samarth and the Holistic Progress Card. Additionally, it will be linked with the DigiLocker system to securely store important documents such as academic records and report cards.
This centralised database is envisioned to streamline processes like entrance examinations, admissions, and scholarship applications.
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How is Apaar ID issued to students?
Given the age of the students, issuing these IDs requires mandatory parental consent. Educational institutions must hold meetings with parents to obtain approval. Registration requires details such as the parents’ Aadhaar IDs and driving licence numbers.
While the initiative supports the ‘Digital India’ mission, experts have raised concerns about its implications for student privacy and potential violations of constitutional rights.