APAAR: One Nation One Student ID Card

• 15 Feb 2024

Source: PIB

Why in News?

Recently, the National Conference on APAAR: One Nation One Student ID Card was held in New Delhi.

• Vital interconnection between APAAR IDs, the Academic Bank of Credit, and Digilocker, facilitating streamlined operations, was also highlighted in the event.

What is APAAR?

• About: APAAR, an acronym for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry, is a specialised identification system designed for all students in India, beginning from an early age.
  • It is introduced in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 and the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCrF).
  • Registration for an APAAR ID is voluntary, not mandatory.
• Objective: It aims to streamline and enhance the academic experience for students throughout India by assigning a unique and permanent 12-digit ID to each student, consolidating their academic records into a single accessible platform.
  • It is emphasised as not only a vital tool for tracking the educational progress of 260 million students in India but also as an aspirational and globally recognized document for students.
• Benefits:
  • APAAR ensures accountability and transparency in education by tracking student progress and streamlining academic records.
  • It enhances efficiency, combats fraud, and includes co-curricular achievements for holistic student development.
  • With multiple use cases, APAAR facilitates a smooth transfer process and supports data-driven decision-making in educational institutions.
  • It also enables students to easily share their academic records for enhanced access to employment.
• Related Concerns:
  • Privacy Concerns: Consolidating academic records into a centralised database raises concerns about the privacy and security of student data.
    • The proliferation of digital identities through APAAR IDs may increase the risk of identity theft or fraudulent activities, requiring robust security measures.
  • Digital Divide: There is a risk that students from marginalised or remote communities may not have equal access to digital platforms, potentially widening existing educational disparities.

What is the Academic Bank of Credits and DigiLocker?

• Academic Bank of Credits: As per NEP 2020, the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) has been envisaged to facilitate the academic mobility of students with the freedom to study across the education Institutions in the country with an appropriate "credit transfer" mechanism from one programme to another.
  • If the student changes schools, whether within the state or to another state, all their data in the ABC gets transferred to her/his new school just by sharing the APAAR ID.
• DigiLocker: It is a cloud-based platform that allows users to store, issue, and verify documents and certificates digitally.
  • It is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under Digital India programme.
  • The issued documents in DigiLocker system are deemed to be at par with original physical documents as per Rule 9A of the Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries providing Digital Locker facilities) Rules, 2016.

Read more: CBSE to Introduce Credit System

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (2012)

1. Directive Principles of State Policy
2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies
3. Fifth Schedule
4. Sixth Schedule
5. Seventh Schedule

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Ans- (d)

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Mains

Q1. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate on your answer. (2020)