‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative for seamless education integration by 2026-27

The Centre has outlined plans to integrate the education records of all school students into its ‘one nation, one student ID’ initiative by the academic year 2026-27. As per official government documents, all government and government-aided schools are expected to transition to an online admission system within the next three years. These proposals were presented in a document titled “Schooling: access and quality” by the Union Ministry of Education at the third national conference of chief secretaries held in Delhi last month.

Previously reported by a news portal, the government’s intention to extend the ‘one nation, one student ID’ initiative to schools aims to ensure seamless integration with higher education, aligning with the goals outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020. Under this initiative, students will receive an Aadhaar-verified ID known as Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR). The initiative, already implemented in higher education institutions, covers approximately 22 million students.

The reviewed document from the Ministry’s Department of School Education and Literacy provides additional insights into the initiative. According to the document, the APAAR ID will play a crucial role in monitoring students’ lifelong learning journeys and establishing a digital repository for education records. This digitalisation aims to simplify storage and access to educational records. The document emphasises that Aadhaar linkage will enhance trust in digital records, enabling stakeholders to access a variety of educational services.