Supreme Court to extend APAAR ID opt-out safeguard nationwide, directs CBSE to act

The Supreme Court has said it will direct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to implement the Orissa High Court's opt-out safeguard for APAAR IDs across the country, reinforcing that parents and students must have the freedom to decline enrolment in the academic identification system. The observation came after the Centre informed the court that it had accepted the Orissa High Court's ruling and had not challenged it.

A bench of the apex court stated that CBSE would be instructed to adopt the safeguards on a pan-India basis and examine concerns related to the implementation of APAAR IDs. The court noted that a detailed order would be issued later. The Orissa High Court had earlier ruled that the consent form for generating APAAR IDs must include a clear opt-out or refusal option, holding that the absence of such a provision could undermine the fundamental right to privacy.

APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is a unique student identification system introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to digitally maintain lifelong academic records. The Supreme Court's proposed direction is expected to ensure that the voluntary nature of the scheme is clearly reflected in its implementation across schools nationwide.