Gandhinagar: The implementation of Apaar ID in schools has disrupted educational activities in schools across Gujarat. Schools are reportedly under pressure from higher authorities to generate Apaar IDs for students. However, the process is riddled with challenges.

The Union government has initiated the creation of Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (Apaar) IDs for students, aiming to link their online academic data with Aadhaar cards. This process has presented significant challenges for teachers, students, and parents, as even minor discrepancies in names between Aadhaar cards and online records hinder Apaar ID generation. Schools are now compelled to organize camps to update Aadhaar details, often requiring parents to make repeated visits despite economic and occupational constraints.

Miteshbhai Bhatt, of Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh Gujarat, emphasized the need to simplify the Apaar ID process by addressing the existing challenges. He stated that the educational work of the first semester has been consumed by e-KYC tasks, and the second semester’s teaching activities are being overtaken by Apaar ID responsibilities. This leaves no room for fundamental educational activities, a concern strongly voiced by teachers and the education sector.

“Considering the appeals of teachers and principals, the federation demands that government and grant-in-aid primary, secondary, and higher secondary school educators be allowed to focus on teaching. If the government fails to take appropriate action, the organization will collectively decide on the next course of action,” he added.

Teachers report that the overwhelming focus on Apaar ID tasks is coming at the cost of teaching. Daily demands for data submission and monitoring have transformed schools into bureaucratic hubs. Preparing data sheets and meeting reporting requirements consume most of the teachers’ time, leaving little room for actual education. With unit tests scheduled for December and preliminary exams in January, teachers fear they will not have enough time to complete the syllabus, ultimately affecting students’ education and results.

The mismatch in students’ names across Aadhaar cards, birth certificates, and school records adds to the complexity. Currently, only 12–15% of names match across all documents, and updating Aadhaar details is a time-consuming process. Teachers suggest outsourcing Apaar ID tasks to agencies or educated unemployed individuals, with teachers acting as supervisors, to ease the burden on schools. DeshGujarat