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APAAR ID: Student Registry, Privacy and Consent Concerns

15 March 20251 min read
GOVERNMENT SCHEMESAPAAR ID: StudentRegistry, Privacyand ConsentConcerns15 March 2025safalsetu.com

Why in the news

The Ministry of Education’s APAAR ID, meant to be a “single source of truth” for transcripts, has drawn criticism because an optional scheme appears to be enforced in practice.

Key concerns

  • Coercion: Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka set strict targets, pressuring schools and parents; religious minority institutions face scrutiny over data mismatches.
  • De facto mandate: like Aadhaar and Digi Yatra, wide adoption can make it compulsory by default.
  • Exclusion: errors in names and records can block students, with no strong grievance mechanism.
  • Privacy: the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is not yet in force.
  • The Supreme Court held Aadhaar cannot be mandated for basic education; APAAR skirts this in spirit.

Way forward

  • Give large-scale digitisation of education records clear legal backing.
  • Ensure transparent data security before full rollout.

Exam angle

  • Full form: Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry.
  • Nodal ministry: Education; linked with Aadhaar.

Test yourself

1. What does APAAR stand for in the Ministry of Education's student ID initiative?

APAAR stands for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry.

2. APAAR ID is linked with which identity system?

APAAR is linked with Aadhaar to serve as a single source of truth for records.

3. Which law, not yet in effect, is cited in concerns over APAAR data security?

The DPDP Act, 2023 had not yet taken effect, raising data security worries.

This topic is part of Daily Current Affairs 15 March 2025 (15 topics).

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