Karnataka rolls out APAAR ID for schoolchildren

Controversy surrounds the introduction of APAAR ID for school children, with educationists questioning its necessity and privacy implications.

The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has initiated the issuance of 12-digit Automatic Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) unique identity cards, modeled after Aadhaar, for all government, aided, and private school students in the State.

However, the move has sparked criticism from educationists, who argue that the State’s adoption of APAAR contradicts its stance against the National Education Policy (NEP) and its commitment to implementing a State Education Policy (SEP). Critics also questioned the need for the new ID, given that students in the State are already assigned Student Achievement Tracking System (SATS) IDs.

The Union Ministry of Education has said that the APAAR ID is a critical component of the NEP and the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCqF). The ID is designed to serve as a unique, lifelong identifier under the “One Nation, One Student ID” initiative, ensuring uniformity across educational and administrative systems. According to the Ministry, it will facilitate seamless transitions between schools, States, and institutions. 

Additionally, the APAAR ID will integrate with the DigiLocker ecosystem, enabling secure storage of academic records, exam results, holistic report cards, and extracurricular achievements. It will also be utilised for entrance exams conducted by the National Testing Agency, admissions, scholarships, government benefits, and awards for students and educators.

Parental consent is mandatory for APAAR registration. Following the Union government’s directive, the DSEL has instructed schools to convene parent meetings to secure consent. The registration process, linking parents’ Aadhaar, EPIC, and driving licence numbers, is already underway in government, aided, and unaided schools.

Development educationist Niranjanaradhya V.P. criticised the move, stating, “The federal government is using all means to gain control over school education, despite education being on the concurrent list.” He said Karnataka’s existing SATS system, which is being upgraded to version 2.0, is sufficient. “The imposition of APAAR ID raises concerns about student privacy and infringes on constitutional rights,” he added.