NEWS – The State government has initiated the distribution of APAAR IDs, a unique identifier for schoolchildren, as part of the “One Nation, One Student ID” initiative. The APAAR ID is expected to serve as a lifelong identifier, akin to Aadhaar, to streamline academic and administrative processes for students across various educational institutions.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF APAAR ID IMPLEMENTATION

• Introduction and Purpose of APAAR ID
  • The Automatic Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) is a unique, 12-digit ID.
  • Designed to provide a lifelong identifier for students under the “One Nation, One Student ID” scheme.
  • Aims to standardize student identification across government, aided, and private schools.
• Alignment with National Education Policy (NEP)
  • APAAR is a key element of the NEP and the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCqF).
  • Despite the State’s objections to the NEP, APAAR adoption is proceeding, sparking debates among educationists.
• Integration with DigiLocker and Educational Ecosystem
• APAAR will integrate with DigiLocker for secure storage of:
  • Academic records
  • Exam results
  • Holistic report cards
  • Extracurricular achievements
• Usage for:
  • National Testing Agency (NTA) entrance exams
  • Admissions and scholarships
  • Government benefits and awards for students and educators

CRITICISMS AND CONCERNS FROM EDUCATIONISTS

• Critics argue that adopting APAAR contradicts Karnataka’s State Education Policy (SEP). The initiative is seen as contradictory, given the State’s previously expressed opposition to the NEP.
• Concerns that APAAR ID may infringe on student privacy. Educationists, like Niranjanaradhya V.P., argue that the move is an attempt by the federal government to centralize control over school education, which falls under the Concurrent List.
• SATS (Student Achievement Tracking System): Karnataka already uses SATS IDs, which will be upgraded to SATS 2.0. Critics question the need for APAAR when an effective tracking system is already in place.