The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to implement the Orissa High Court’s directions on the APAAR ID consent process across the country. While hearing a petition challenging the scheme, the court also asked CBSE to examine concerns related to parental consent and data protection.The observations came after the Bench noted that the Centre had accepted the Orissa High Court’s December 2025 judgment by not appealing against it. The court said CBSE must implement the High Court’s directions nationwide and ensure the scheme complies with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.The ruling has once again brought APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) into focus. Introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the initiative aims to create a lifelong digital academic identity for every student in India. Here’s what the scheme is, how it works and why it has become the subject of legal scrutiny.
What is APAAR ID?
APAAR, short for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry, is a unique 12-digit student identification number designed to remain with a learner throughout their academic journey.Unlike a school roll number, which changes with institutions, an APAAR ID is intended to serve as a permanent academic identity. It enables students to maintain a digital record of their educational achievements from school to higher education and skill development programmes.The initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to digitise the education system and make academic records easier to access, verify and transfer.
How does APAAR ID work?
Once an APAAR ID is generated, it acts as a central repository of a student’s verified academic records.The system can digitally store:
- Marksheets and report cards
- Board examination certificates
- Degrees and diplomas
- Academic credits
- Scholarships and awards
- Co-curricular and extracurricular achievements
- Skill certificates and vocational qualifications
The records are intended to integrate with platforms such as DigiLocker and the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), allowing students to access verified educational documents online.
Benefits of APAAR
According to the Ministry of Education, APAAR has been designed to simplify academic record management and reduce paperwork.Some of its key benefits include:
- A single academic identity throughout a student’s life.
- Easy access to verified educational documents.
- Faster transfer of records when changing schools or colleges.
- Reduced chances of duplicate or lost certificates.
- Better tracking of academic progress and achievements.
- Improved planning and policy-making through reliable educational data.
The Supreme Court also noted during the hearing that a unified student ID could help authorities maintain accurate records, implement educational reforms and monitor indicators such as teacher-student ratios.
APAAR consent form: Meaning
The APAAR consent form is the document through which parents or legal guardians are asked to provide permission before a student’s APAAR ID is created.The form explains why the student’s information is being collected, how it will be used and how academic records will be stored. Since the scheme primarily covers school-going children, parental consent is considered an important part of the enrolment process.The current consent process has become the focus of legal debate because petitioners argue that parents are not given a meaningful opportunity to refuse enrolment before their child’s data is collected.
Why is parental consent under scrutiny?
The petition before the Supreme Court argues that although APAAR is described as voluntary, it is effectively linked to Aadhaar, leaving parents with little real choice.The petitioners have also questioned whether the existing consent process complies with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, particularly regarding informed consent, withdrawal of consent and protection of children’s personal information.Another concern relates to the long-term storage of students’ academic data. The petitioners contend that parents and students should have the option to withdraw consent and exercise the “right to be forgotten.”
What did the Orissa High Court direct?
In December 2025, the Orissa High Court asked the Ministry of Education to revise the model APAAR consent form.The court directed that parents should be given the option to refuse consent before enrolment or opt out of the scheme. It also observed that if APAAR is voluntary, the consent form must clearly reflect that position.The High Court further held that education cannot be made conditional on obtaining Aadhaar and said the ability to withdraw consent later cannot replace the right to decline enrolment in the first place.What happens next?The Supreme Court has not stayed the APAAR scheme. Instead, it has asked CBSE to implement the Orissa High Court’s directions across the country and examine concerns related to privacy and parental consent.For students, the scheme continues to function as a digital academic identity designed to make educational records portable and easily accessible. However, the latest court proceedings indicate that its implementation will now face greater scrutiny to ensure it complies with constitutional protections and India’s data protection law.
