One Nation One Student ID initiative

Context:

Several state governments have made requests for schools to obtain parental consent regarding the introduction of a new student identity card. This new ID card, named the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR), is a component of the Union government’s ‘One nation, One Student ID’ initiative.

Relevance:

GS II: Government Policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is APAAR ID?
2. Rationale Behind APAAR
3. Procedure for Creating APAAR ID
4. Concerns Surrounding APAAR

What is APAAR ID?

APAAR ID is envisioned as a special identification system designed for all students across India, starting from their early years.

Purpose of APAAR ID:

• Under this initiative, every student would receive a lifelong APAAR ID, streamlining the process of tracking their educational journey, from pre-primary education to higher education.
• The APAAR ID also serves as a gateway to Digilocker, a digital platform where students can securely store essential documents and achievements, such as exam results and report cards, in a digital format for convenient access in the future.

Working of APAAR ID

• Each individual will be assigned a unique APAAR ID, which will be linked to the Academic Bank Credit (ABC).
• The Academic Bank Credit (ABC) serves as a digital repository containing information about the credits earned by students throughout their educational journey.
• With the APAAR ID, students have the ability to store all their certificates and credits, whether they are from formal educational institutions or informal learning experiences.
• When a student completes a course or attains an achievement, it is digitally certified and securely stored in their account by authorized educational institutions.
• In cases where a student changes schools, whether within the state or to a different state, all relevant data stored in the Academic Bank Credit (ABC) is seamlessly transferred to the new school, simply by sharing the APAAR ID.

Rationale Behind APAAR:

• The introduction of APAAR aims to simplify the education process and minimize the necessity for students to carry physical documents.
• This initiative is an integral part of the National Education Policy 2020, implemented by the Education Ministry, with the objective of bringing about positive changes. It enables state governments to monitor literacy rates, reduce dropout rates, and facilitate educational improvements.
• APAAR also addresses the issue of fraudulent and duplicated educational certificates by establishing a single, reliable reference for educational institutions. Only trusted sources that issue certificates will be permitted to deposit credits into the system, ensuring authenticity.

Procedure for Creating APAAR ID

• To register for an APAAR ID, students are required to provide basic information, including their name, age, date of birth, gender, and a photograph.
• This information is then verified using their Aadhar number, a unique identification number issued by the Indian government.
• Students are presented with a consent form, and they have the option to either agree or decline to share their Aadhar number and demographic information with the Ministry of Education for the purpose of creating the APAAR ID.
• In the case of minors, parents are required to sign the consent form, authorizing the Ministry to use the student’s Aadhar number for authentication with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
• It’s important to note that registration for the creation of an APAAR ID is voluntary and not mandatory, allowing students and their families the choice to participate.

Concerns Surrounding APAAR

Privacy Concerns:

Some parents and students express concerns about the potential leakage of their personal information to external entities.

• Government’s Assurance:
  • The government asserts that the information shared by students will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed to any third party except for organizations involved in educational activities.
  • These entities include the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) database, scholarship programs, academic records maintenance, educational institutions, and recruitment agencies.
• UDISE+ Database:
  • The UDISE+ database is the government’s repository containing data related to schools, teachers, and students.
• Control Over Data Sharing:
  • Students have the option to cease sharing their information with the mentioned parties at any given time, and data processing will be stopped.
  • However, any personal data that has already been processed will remain unaffected if consent is withdrawn.

Administrative Burden:

• School authorities raise concerns about the additional administrative workload associated with pending Aadhaar verification of students, which is currently optional.
• The introduction of the APAAR registry may potentially increase the administrative responsibilities placed on teaching faculty.

-Source: Indian Express