The Supreme Court stated on Monday that it would direct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to comply with an order from the Odisha High Court. That order had instructed authorities to provide parents with the option to refuse sharing their children’s Aadhaar details for the creation of an ‘Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry’ (APAAR) ID, or to opt out of the scheme entirely.
While hearing petitions filed by parents challenging the constitutional validity of the scheme, a three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) remarked that it would also issue directives to the Board regarding concerns raised about the security, storage, and processing of students’ personal data.
The Court stated, “We will direct the CBSE to implement this decision nationwide… as the High Court’s order has been accepted. We are also directing the CBSE to examine the (other) issues.”
In its judgment dated December 12, 2025, in the case of “Rohit Anand Das & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors”, the Odisha High Court had asked authorities to “consider modifying the model consent form to include an option to ‘opt out’ or withhold consent.” Under APAAR, every student is assigned a unique, lifelong 12-digit identification number.
The APAAR ID Functions Like a Digital Academic Passport
The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Education under the National Education Policy (NEP). The APAAR ID functions like a digital academic passport, securely storing all educational records, including mark sheets, degrees, and co-curricular achievements, on a single platform.
Right to Privacy
Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the petitioners, informed the bench (which also included Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana) that under APAAR, children are being mandatorily enrolled in a scheme that has not been established by any law.
She stated, “All such data-collection schemes require legislation because they infringe upon the right to privacy. However, there is no law for this, and it (APAAR) is being implemented through a circular issued by the Ministry of Education.”
The CJI pointed out the difficulties involved in obtaining transfer certificates when moving from one educational institution to another and noted that the APAAR ID number resolves this issue.
Indira Jaising acknowledged that there was a legitimate objective behind it. She added, “However, the necessary prerequisites must be met. Firstly, there must be a law. Whenever the right to privacy is at stake, a legal requirement arises.” She further remarked, “Aadhaar has been made mandatory for students in Classes 10 and 12.”
Indira Jaising pointed out that in the 2019 “Puttaswamy” judgment, the Supreme Court had stated that children do not require an Aadhaar card. She noted that the scheme is envisaged in such a way that every child is required to possess an APAAR card.
She argued that Aadhaar is required to generate an APAAR ID, and thus, “it becomes a mandatory process, even if it is termed voluntary on paper.” The CJI remarked, “Let us not view everything in this country with suspicion. This is a welcome step they are taking.”
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