Introduction to APAAR:
- APAAR stands for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry.
- It’s a unique ID system for students across India, initiated from childhood.
- The project is part of India’s National Education Policy 2020.
Purpose of APAAR:
- APAAR aims to provide each student with a lifelong ID.
- This ID helps track academic progress from early education to higher studies.
- APAAR is also linked to Digilocker, enabling digital storage of academic documents.
Benefits of Introducing APAAR:
- Simplifies educational processes, reducing dependency on physical documents.
- Facilitates tracking of key educational metrics like literacy and dropout rates.
- Aims to curb fraud and duplication in educational certificates.
Functioning of APAAR ID:
- Links to the Academic Bank Credit (ABC) for storing educational credits and achievements.
- Eases transfer of academic records across schools and states with the unique APAAR ID.
- Digital certification of achievements and course completions are stored securely.
Enrollment Process:
- Students register by providing basic personal details and a photograph.
- Aadhar number is used for verification, with confidentiality maintained.
- Consent is required for sharing Aadhar details; the process is voluntary for students.
- Parents must consent for minors.
Concerns and Safeguards:
- Concerns exist about the privacy and security of Aadhar details.
- Government assures confidentiality; information shared only for educational purposes.
- Students can choose to discontinue sharing data at any point.
Why in News:
- Recently, several state governments requested schools to seek parental consent for the creation of a new student identity card known as the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR).