Education department pushes for APAAR registration amid parental concerns

Maharashtra's APAAR student ID initiative faces parent resistance over data security concerns and logistical challenges, despite being labeled optional

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Education Department has intensified its efforts to complete the APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) identity generation for school students. To expedite the process, the department designated two ‘Mega APAAR Days’ (December 9 and 10) to focus exclusively on the registration drive. However, the initiative is facing resistance from parents and logistical challenges in schools.

APAAR, a central government initiative, is a specialised identification system that aims to simplify academic tracking and document management in a student’s academic journey. Representative Image. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

APAAR, a central government initiative, is a specialised identification system that aims to simplify academic tracking and document management in a student’s academic journey. Part of the central government’s ‘One Nation, One Student’ initiative, it has ambitious goals but its implementation has raised logistical and ethical concerns.

One of the major hurdles in the registration process is convincing parents to give consent. Parents are hesitant, citing concerns about the security of their children’s personal data. APAAR requires details such as the student’s name, address, age, date of birth, gender and photograph, which will be shared with educational institutions and recruitment agencies.

A Borivali-based parent expressed reservations, saying, “The school informed me that the consent form states that I have voluntarily agreed to share my Aadhaar number and APAAR. However, when I checked the official APAAR website, it clearly mentioned that registration is not mandatory. I informed the school about my objection and was asked to submit a written letter to confirm my stance.”

Education policy expert Kishore Darak echoed these concerns. “Linking APAAR to Aadhaar indirectly mandates Aadhaar for admissions, which goes against the 2017 Supreme Court judgment,” he said. “Despite the ministry of education clarifying that APAAR is optional, the administration is coercing parents into giving their consent. The state must clearly communicate the optional nature of APAAR and potential risks to ensure informed consent.”

Schools are also facing significant challenges in completing the registration process. Teachers have reported technical issues, such as slow server speeds on the APAAR portal, which delay the upload of student information.

“It takes five to ten minutes to upload details for a single student due to the portal’s sluggishness,” said Rohit Bhat, CEO of the Children’s Academy Group of Schools. “We are trying to meet government deadlines, but it’s difficult to handle the sheer volume of registrations. Many parents are hesitant to share data, so we are collecting written objections from those who have refused.”

The registration process, which began in October, initially had a deadline of November 20. After extensions, two Mega APAAR Days were announced on November 29 and 30, with another round scheduled this week to push schools to complete the task.

Bhausaheb Chaskar, a teacher activist, said, “Actually, this Apar ID is optional but the administrative system is making it compulsory. In today’s time, as there is no guarantee that children’s private information will be safe, knowledgeable parents are strongly opposing this ID. This is creating a dilemma for principals and teachers. How can anyone be forced to celebrate APAAR Day when it is not mandatory?”

Government officials admitted facing pressure from higher authorities to make Maharashtra a leader in APAAR registration. “We have completed around 60% of the registrations so far but we need to push harder,” said an official. “This pressure trickles down to schools, which are working tirelessly to meet these targets.”

Education experts are calling for a more transparent approach. Darak stressed the need for state authorities to clearly inform parents about the optional nature of APAAR and the potential risks of data breaches. “Given India’s inadequate digital data safety infrastructure, collecting such sensitive information could lead to bigger problems in the future,” he said.

A principal from South Mumbai school said, “While the state government is determined to meet its registration targets, the initiative highlights the need to balance efficiency with ethical considerations. Addressing parental concerns, resolving technical issues, and ensuring data privacy will be critical to gaining public trust and ensuring the success of the APAAR project.”