‘One Nation, One Student ID’: APAAR ID registration begins for students in Assam

Guwahati, Sept 22: The Assam Education Department has introduced the registration of a lifelong 12-digit Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR ID) for all school-enrolled students in the state.

This initiative is part of the “One Nation, One Student ID” programme, aligning with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The APAAR ID will be generated only for students with valid Aadhaar ID and Permanent Education Number (PEN), utilising the UDISE+ portal at the school level.

“The APAAR ID will serve as a permanent digital identity for students, linked to the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and DigiLocker for the digital storage of all academic records, including marksheets and certificates. This will facilitate unified tracking of students' academic progress, reduce dropout rates, and help track Out of School Children,” a letter from the Samagra Shiksha office states.

Taking to a popular microblogging platform, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said, “Assam is rolling out the APAAR ID, a 12-digit lifelong digital identity for school-enrolled students. This initiative under the New Education Policy 2020 will streamline academic records, track student progress, and support students in their educational journey. Parents, please join the Parent-Teacher Meetings to give consent for your child’s APAAR ID!”

The education department highlighted that the consent of parents or guardians is essential for the generation of the APAAR ID.

In August, in a run-up to the APAAR launch, the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) had issued a directive to principals and headmasters of all affiliated schools, mandating the organisation of Aadhaar update camps.

SEBA instructed that these camps are crucial for the mandatory updating of students’ biometric information.

The Aadhaar camps targeted students aged 5-7 and 15-17 years, ensuring they complete the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) and link their mobile numbers to their Aadhaar.

This move follows an April 2024 directive from the Deputy Director of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).