With RTIs Left Unanswered, APAAR ID Implementation Sparks Privacy Debate

As the APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID initiative rapidly gains traction in schools across India, concerns regarding its implementation have come to the forefront from some quarters.

Launched in July 2023 as part of the government's broader compliance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the APAAR ID aims to provide students with a unique Aadhaar-based identification number that tracks their academic journey.

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) has reached out to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Electronics & IT, filing multiple Right to Information (RTI) requests to seek transparency on the APAAR ID framework.

On August 12, 2024, IFF received a response concerning one of their queries, revealing only that the NEP 2020 document was available online. However, it contained no information relevant to the specific policy they had requested.

With the enrollment process moving at a fast pace, more states are hopping on the APAAR ID bandwagon. As of October 2024, several states, including Rajasthan and Odisha, have begun enrolling students under the programme. In Gujarat too, efforts to onboard an estimated 28 lakh students are already underway.

Despite these rapid steps, there are concerns over the transparency and legality of the initiative. It remains to be seen how and when APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is fully implemented.