G. Kumar Naik speaks in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (April 2). | Photo credit: ANI
Raichur MP G. Kumar Naik raised concerns about the implementation of Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR), even as the Union government clarified in Parliament that the initiative is voluntary and based on informed consent.
In a statement issued on Thursday (April 2), Mr Naik said there appears to be a gap between policy intent and grassroots preparedness, especially in the context of recent guidelines issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
In its reply to an unstarred question raised by Mr Naik in the Lok Sabha, the Education Ministry reiterated that generation of APAAR IDs is voluntary and requires express consent of students or parents. It also clarified that no student will be denied the opportunity to appear for the board exams due to absence of APAAR ID.
However, Mr. Naik pointed out that the CBSE has decided to make the 12-digit APAAR ID mandatory for registration in classes 9 and 11 from the academic year 2026-27, raising concerns among stakeholders.
“While the goal of creating a seamless and portable academic record system is important, its implementation must remain strictly transparent and inclusive. Parents must be clearly informed that APAAR is voluntary and no child should face any disadvantage due to technical or administrative hurdles,” said Mr. Naik.
He noted that a significant number of students are still outside the APAAR system, with reports indicating that nearly 40% of students – more than 4.5 million – have not been enrolled. Schools, he said, often conduct the enrollment process without ensuring sufficient awareness among parents.
In its response, the ministry acknowledged that technical issues such as inconsistencies between the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) and Aadhaar data prevented some students from getting an APAAR ID through no fault of their own, and advised states and schools to facilitate corrections.
Mr Naik said such calls could lead to unintended exclusion and additional administrative burden on families. “There needs to be stronger data protection safeguards and a clear mechanism for quickly resolving technical issues so that students are not affected,” he said.
He also called on the Union government to ensure better communication with parents and schools and address shortcomings in implementation before expanding the scope of the scheme.
Introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the APAAR initiative aims to create a lifelong academic identity for students, enabling credit transfer and seamless tracking of academic progress across institutions.
Published – 03 Apr 2026 19:15 IST
