Ludhiana: Parents’ hesitation, staff strike hamper Apaar ID generation

The SSA non-teaching staff’s strike, which began on December 4, has added to the challenges; the employees, demanding job regularisation and equal pay, have refused to resume work without a written commitment from the state government

The Apaar ID project in the state is off to a slow start, with only 8.57% of IDs generated and Ludhiana achieving a mere 2% ID generation rate despite the two-day Apaar Diwas held on December 9 and 10. Apaar, short for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry, introduced under the central government’s “One Nation, One Student ID” programme, aims to assign unique 12-digit IDs to all students in India. It aligns with the New Education Policy and the National Digital Education Architecture to streamline academic data and support students’ educational journeys.

Highlighting the significance of the initiative, a government school principal noted, “These IDs will ensure the safety of students’ academic records, simplify school transfers, and make the application process for higher education institutions seamless.” (HT Photo)

School heads cite two major roadblocks to progress, including parents’ reluctance to provide consent for ID generation, and the ongoing pen-down strike by non-teaching staff under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). “Parents are hesitant to share Aadhaar details and OTPs, fearing digital fraud,” explained Pardeep Kumar, the principal of Government Senior Secondary School, PAU, adding, “We are trying to address their concerns and highlight the benefits of the IDs. However, they are taking time to respond, and we request an extension to the December 15 deadline for collecting ID numbers from the students.”

The SSA non-teaching staff’s strike, which began on December 4, has added to the challenges. The employees, demanding job regularisation and equal pay, have refused to resume work without a written commitment from the state government. Their action has left schools without the technical support needed to generate the IDs.

Highlighting the significance of the initiative, a government school principal noted, “These IDs will ensure the safety of students’ academic records, simplify school transfers, and make the application process for higher education institutions seamless.”

District education officer (Elementary) Ravinder Kaur acknowledged the hurdles. “Parents’ concerns about digital security are being mentioned by the schools, and the absence of SSA staff is also slowing down the process. However, we are working to fast-track the initiative by addressing these issues,” she said.