What is APAAR Card and How to Get one?

What is APAAR Card?
Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR Card)

The Union Education Ministry has recently launched the APAAR ID, an acronym for 'Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry,' in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

APAAR Card for Students

Government's 'One Nation, One Student Id' Initiative:

This digital identification system is designed to provide a single student ID for all students in India, creating a unified education ecosystem registry system known as 'EduLocker.'

The APAAR ID will store academic qualifications, credit scores, certificates, and other academic data for students from pre-primary to higher education.

To enroll in the system, students must obtain their parent's consent, and states have been directed to initiate this process.

The unique 12-digit APAAR ID will be used for admissions and other academic activities, making it convenient for students.

Both new and existing users can register or log in using their mobile number, Aadhar Card, or ID and password.

Pros and Cons:

The Indian government established the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC Bank) to handle the APAAR ID card issue process.

This initiative aims to enhance security, create a unified educational system, and make academic data easily accessible for students.

To ensure the reduction of fraud and duplicate educational certificates, APAAR strives to establish a reliable and singular point of reference for educational institutions.

This is achieved by exclusively allowing first-party sources, responsible for issuing certificates, to deposit credits into the system, thereby guaranteeing authenticity.

In order to register for APAAR, students are required to provide essential personal information including their name, age, date of birth, gender, and a photograph.

The verification of this information is conducted through the utilization of their Aadhaar number.

Nonetheless, the government assures that the data provided by students will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Concerns arises over the potential leakage of personal information to external entities.

Moreover, students retain the autonomy to cease sharing their information with the aforementioned parties at any given moment, thereby halting the processing of their data.

However, it is important to note that any personal data that has already undergone processing will remain unaffected even if consent is subsequently withdrawn. 

The online process for APAAR ID registration is as follows:

1. Visit the website of the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC Bank).
2. Navigate to the 'My Account' section and select the 'Student' option.
3. Click on the 'Sign up' button and provide the necessary details such as mobile number, address, and Aadhaar card information to create a DigiLocker account.
4. Access the DigiLocker account using the provided credentials.
5. DigiLocker will request your consent to share the Aadhaar card details with ABC Bank for the purpose of KYC verification. Kindly select 'I agree'.
6. Enter the relevant academic details, including the name of the school or university, class, course name, etc.
7. Submit the completed form, and subsequently, the APAAR ID card will be generated.

Sources: TOI, The Indian Express