Naga Students’ Federation opposes ‘One nation, one student ID’ citing risks to student privacy

DIMAPUR — The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly opposed the move of the Union Education Ministry to introduce the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR), commonly referred to as the ‘One nation, one student ID’.

The NSF, in a press release, expressed concern, particularly regarding student rights and privacy, among other issues.

It opined that the controversial initiative, designed to create an Education Ecosystem Registry, ‘EduLocker,’ poses “significant challenges and concerns, undermining the rights and privacy of students and adding unnecessary burden to educational institutions”.

‘APAAR, proposed by the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), is set to assign a unique identification number to every student enrolled from pre-primary to higher education, in addition to their existing Aadhaar ID. While the government has touted it as a solution for seamless tracking of academic progress and achievements, it raises several concerns,’ said the NSF.

“The ongoing concerns about data security and privacy breaches related to Aadhaar have not been adequately addressed. In a time when data breaches are all too common, adding another layer of data collection and storage without comprehensive security measures is worrisome,” read the press release.

The NSF pointed out that educational institutions are already grappling with administrative burdens, including the optional Aadhaar verification of students. “Introducing the APAAR registry would only add to the workload of teaching faculty and staff, potentially affecting the quality of education,” it added.

The student body also underscored that the consent of parents for APAAR enrolment is insufficient to safeguard the rights and privacy of students.

“The government’s assurance that data will be shared only with concerned government agencies, while vague, does not eliminate the possibility of misuse or data breaches. Furthermore, a centrally functioning District Information for Education portal, as proposed, could become a potential target for cyber attacks, endangering the personal information of students,” it stated.

Calling for reconsideration of the APAAR initiative, placing the protection of student data at the forefront, the NSF urged the Union Education Ministry to address critical concerns, including data security and administrative challenges, and to engage in a comprehensive dialogue with all stakeholders, including students and educational institutions, to develop a more robust and privacy-conscious solution for tracking students’ academic progress.

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