The Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID is a unique identification system for students in India, designed to create a comprehensive and easily accessible record of their academic journey. This initiative, stemming from the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the "One Nation, One Student ID" concept, aims to streamline academic record-keeping, enhance transparency, and improve the overall efficiency of the education system. The APAAR ID is a 12-digit number that will serve as a lifelong academic passport for students, consolidating all their achievements and credentials in one place.

Benefits of APAAR ID

The APAAR ID offers numerous benefits to students, educational institutions, and the government:

• Lifelong Identification: The APAAR ID provides a permanent identification number for students, enabling them to track their academic progress and achievements seamlessly throughout their education.
• Centralized Academic Data: The APAAR ID centralizes academic data, including learning outcomes, exam results, report cards, health records, co-curricular achievements (like Olympiad rankings), scholarships, degrees, rewards, and other student credits.
• Simplified School Transfers: Transferring between schools becomes easier as the APAAR ID contains the student's complete academic data, making admissions hassle-free.
• Academic Progress Tracking: Students can effortlessly monitor their academic journey, enabling personalized study plans and real-time performance analytics. The system aids in skill gap analysis and provides industry-relevant content for upskilling programs.
• Recognize Learning Achievements: APAAR recognizes and validates learning achievements.
• Empower Students: APAAR empowers students to choose their learning paths of their choice.
• Enable student mobility and academic flexibility: APAAR enable student mobility and academic flexibility.
• Dropout Tracking and Reconnection: It helps track students dropping out so the government can reconnect them with educational activities.
• Unified Academic Identity: A single platform to consolidate and showcase academic records.
• Streamlining Student Records: Simplifying record-keeping for students, parents, and educators.
• Digital Repository: Securely storing academic data and achievements.
• Seamless Academic Mobility: Facilitating smooth transitions between educational levels.

How to Apply for APAAR ID

While the APAAR ID initiative aims for widespread adoption, it's officially voluntary. However, some schools and state boards are encouraging or expecting high enrollment rates. To apply for an APAAR ID, here’s a general outline of the process:

1. Parental Consent: If the student is a minor, parental consent is required. Parents need to fill out a consent form and submit it to the school. The consent form may be available on the official APAAR website or provided by the school.
2. Verification: Visit the school to confirm personal details. The school verifies the student's identity.
3. ID Creation: Once verified, the UDISE system generates the APAAR ID against the Permanent Education Number (PEN) ID of the student.
4. DigiLocker Integration: The APAAR ID is added to the student's DigiLocker account for safe online access.

Alternatively, for Higher/Skill Education Learners, they can:

1. Visit DigiLocker website or the Academic Bank of Credits portal.
2. Create or log in to your authenticated DigiLocker account.
3. Select the education category and proceed to the APAAR ID creation service.
4. Choose your institution, admission year and roll number, then click submit.
5. Access/ Download your APAAR Card from the DigiLocker portal.

Concerns and Considerations

Despite the numerous benefits, the APAAR ID system has also raised some concerns:

• Data Privacy: Some experts and parents have expressed concerns about the collection and handling of sensitive student data, particularly that of minors, without adequate legal safeguards or robust data protection measures.
• Mandatory Implementation: While the government maintains that APAAR is voluntary, some schools and educational boards are pushing for 100% enrollment, leading to concerns that it may become de facto mandatory, potentially limiting access to education for those who do not enroll.
• Aadhaar Linking: APAAR IDs are often linked to Aadhaar, raising concerns about potential privacy violations and the risk of exclusion for those without Aadhaar.
• Data Retention: APAAR systems retain data until the account remains in existence or a request for deletion of account or data is made.

The APAAR ID represents a significant step towards modernizing and streamlining India's education system. By providing a unique digital identity for every student and consolidating their academic records in a single platform, the APAAR ID has the potential to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the education sector. However, it is crucial to address the concerns surrounding data privacy and ensure that the system is implemented in a way that protects the rights and interests of all students.