In a move that brings relief to Indian expatriate students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that schools located outside India, including those in the Gulf countries, are no longer required to generate APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) IDs.
Earlier this month, CBSE had made it mandatory for students to submit APAAR IDs while registering for Class 10 and 12 board examinations, according to media reports. However, a notification issued on Wednesday, August 27, clarified that the system is mandatory only for schools within India.
“Schools situated abroad are exempted from APAAR because of various administrative reasons and laws in these countries,” the notification reads.
The APAAR ID, a 12-digit unique student identification code, was introduced under India’s “One Nation, One Student” initiative to streamline academic records. Students need to provide their name, date of birth, and Aadhaar number to obtain it.
Since most Indian students abroad do not hold Aadhaar cards, implementing APAAR overseas would have required navigating complex legal and administrative frameworks. The exemption allows schools to continue using their existing identification systems, ensuring smooth operations and compliance with local authorities.
