Registering for 12-digit APAAR ID fraught with hurdles, rue parents

Students and parents face challenges registering for APAAR, a unique ID system for students in India, due to data discrepancies.

Students and parents of various educational institutions are facing difficulties in registering for the 12-digit APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry), which is part of the Centre’s One Nation-One Student ID, an Education Ecosystem Registry or an ‘EduLocker’.

APAAR is a specialised identification system designed for all students in India, beginning from an early age. It has been introduced in 2023 in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 and the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCRF).

The Union Education Ministry has directed educational institutions to obtain the consent of parents of students in all schools under their respective jurisdiction to initiate the APAAR enrolment process.

The problem is mainly due to a mismatch in details of the student’s Aadhaar card, birth certificate or educational institution records.

In one instance, the APAAR number of a Class IV student of Visakha Valley School was not registered. The reason, school officials say, is that the student’s name was spelled differently in the Aadhaar card and birth certificate.

“We have suggested that the student’s name be corrected in the birth certificate. The government has also issued fresh guidelines extending the deadline till March 2025. So, parents must do it before the deadline, and the same has been communicated to the parents,” said the school authorities.

“To correct the name in the birth certificate, we have to go to Hyderabad, where our son was born, to correct the name. Instead, the government should provide alternative services for name correction in the school or in the area where the student currently resides. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the student to go to his/her native place for getting this done. Since this is a government programme, it is better to resolve the issue at the government-level,” the student’s parents told The Hindu.