Is the APAAR ID for Students Mandatory?

APAAR ID functions as the student identification system of NEP 2020 which enables digital storage of academic records. There exists official voluntary enrollment but multiple schools and state governments try to compel students to join. Multiple doubts exist regarding data protection alongside the legal authority and duplicate record management systems. Uttar Pradesh alongside other States keeps exerting administrative pressure on parents even though they have the option to decline this system's implementation. Expert analysts express concerns regarding the unprotected use of children's data information. Before the widespread adoption of this system, clear policy directives must be established along with legal security measures and the option for self-regulation.

What is APAAR?

• APAAR stands for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry. The ‘One Nation One Student ID’ system represents a key element of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 

• Through the link between APAAR ID and Aadhaar and its storage in DigiLocker students can let educational institutions verify their academic records. 

• UDISE+ generates the IDs through its Unified District Information System for Education Plus platform.

Is APAAR Mandatory?

• The official website declares that APAAR availability exists without mandatory requirements.

• Schools together with State governments are using pressure tactics on students to create their ID.

• Both CBSE and Uttar Pradesh authorities have demanded students to perform compulsory registration.

• Many parents still do not know about APAAR even though the Union government explained that participation is optional when appearing in Parliament during December 2024.

Concerns About Data Security

• Research Institute for the Internet Freedom Foundation could not obtain proper information from The Right to Information (RTI) request process.

• Legal authorization is required to collect mass data because it poses constitutional issues.

• Education experts claim that APAAR operations create duplicate data entries because the system contains the same information found in UDISE+.

• According to Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, Section 9(3) establishes rules for tracking as well as sharing information related to children.

• Multiple experts point out that unprotected APIs used for data sharing represent a potential threat to the release of children's information to outside entities.

How is an APAAR ID Generated?

• Student demographic requirements (name and date of birth along with other information) are verified through the school system.

• Parents have to complete the consent form.

• The educational institutions receive student information for authentication then create an APAAR ID.

• The correction process mandates parents to repeat the submission after fixing any detected mismatched data.

Can Parents Opt Out?

• Parents can use a written declaration to prevent their children from participating in the APAAR ID program.

• Users can find an opt-out template through the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC) website.

• The Uttar Pradesh district administration is intensifying their demand as they have started issuing penalties to schools not respecting the current policy.

Conclusion

Widespread confusion exists about APAAR ID because its formal status as voluntary has not been properly communicated despite bureaucratic pressure along with little parental understanding. The implementation of a massive scale needs robust privacy and policy safeguards because privacy and data security concerns along with duplication of records persist.