Aadhaar no longer must on mark sheets
Basant Kumar Mohanty Sep 07, 2018 00:00 IST
Basant Kumar Mohanty Sep 07, 2018 00:00 IST
The UGC building in Delhi. Pitcure by Prem Singh
New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has rolled back its 2017 directive asking universities to print students' Aadhaar numbers on their mark sheets.
The higher education regulator said printing the unique identity number would amount to breaching the security and confidentiality of Aadhaar and violate the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.
However, some universities have already started implementing the order. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) asked research students last year to provide their Aadhaar number while submitting their thesis.
Geeta Kumari, the president of the JNU students' union, said the university was forcing students to part with their Aadhaar data.
"JNU forced students to submit Aadhaar data because of the UGC's directive. Now that the UGC has rolled back its own order, JNU must scrap its order also," Kumari said.
Delhi University executive council member Rajesh Jha demanded that varsities that have complied with the UGC's 2017 directive should now take back the mark sheets and reprint them without the Aadhaar numbers.
"It will be unfair if the mark sheets carry the Aadhaar numbers. Those institutions that have printed the numbers should take back the mark sheets and reprint them without the Aadhaar information," Jha said.
In a letter dated September 4 and issued by UGC secretary Rajnish Jain to all universities, it has been mentioned: "It is for your kind information that printing of Aadhaar number on degree/certificate of a resident would be accessible to multiple people, thereby breaching the security and confidentiality of the Aadhaar numbers would be in violation of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and regulations framed thereunder."
The letter said the regulations prohibited Aadhaar data from being published, displayed or posted publicly and also provided for penalties for such offences.
"Therefore, you are requested not to publish or display the Aadhaar number of the students publicly," the letter added.
On July 29, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chief R.S. Sharma had posted his Aadhaar number on Twitter, challenging hackers to do any harm.
Hackers had immediately posted his personal details such as his mobile phone number, residential address and bank accounts.
UGC secretary Jain told The Telegraph that some of the universities had already printed Aadhaar details on mark sheets.
"We will discuss what can be done in case of the mark sheets that have already printed the Aadhaar numbers," he said.
On March 21, 2017, the UGC had issued a letter to all universities asking them to start printing Aadhaar numbers on mark sheets as a measure to check malpractice.
"I request you to introduce identification mechanisms like photograph and Unique lD/Aadhaar number in students' certificates. Such inscriptions, you'd agree, will go a long way in uniformly marking a student's personal identity and other associated details," said the letter issued by then UGC secretary J.S. Sandhu.
New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has rolled back its 2017 directive asking universities to print students' Aadhaar numbers on their mark sheets.
The higher education regulator said printing the unique identity number would amount to breaching the security and confidentiality of Aadhaar and violate the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.
However, some universities have already started implementing the order. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) asked research students last year to provide their Aadhaar number while submitting their thesis.
Geeta Kumari, the president of the JNU students' union, said the university was forcing students to part with their Aadhaar data.
"JNU forced students to submit Aadhaar data because of the UGC's directive. Now that the UGC has rolled back its own order, JNU must scrap its order also," Kumari said.
Delhi University executive council member Rajesh Jha demanded that varsities that have complied with the UGC's 2017 directive should now take back the mark sheets and reprint them without the Aadhaar numbers.
"It will be unfair if the mark sheets carry the Aadhaar numbers. Those institutions that have printed the numbers should take back the mark sheets and reprint them without the Aadhaar information," Jha said.
In a letter dated September 4 and issued by UGC secretary Rajnish Jain to all universities, it has been mentioned: "It is for your kind information that printing of Aadhaar number on degree/certificate of a resident would be accessible to multiple people, thereby breaching the security and confidentiality of the Aadhaar numbers would be in violation of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and regulations framed thereunder."
The letter said the regulations prohibited Aadhaar data from being published, displayed or posted publicly and also provided for penalties for such offences.
"Therefore, you are requested not to publish or display the Aadhaar number of the students publicly," the letter added.
On July 29, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chief R.S. Sharma had posted his Aadhaar number on Twitter, challenging hackers to do any harm.
Hackers had immediately posted his personal details such as his mobile phone number, residential address and bank accounts.
UGC secretary Jain told The Telegraph that some of the universities had already printed Aadhaar details on mark sheets.
"We will discuss what can be done in case of the mark sheets that have already printed the Aadhaar numbers," he said.
On March 21, 2017, the UGC had issued a letter to all universities asking them to start printing Aadhaar numbers on mark sheets as a measure to check malpractice.
"I request you to introduce identification mechanisms like photograph and Unique lD/Aadhaar number in students' certificates. Such inscriptions, you'd agree, will go a long way in uniformly marking a student's personal identity and other associated details," said the letter issued by then UGC secretary J.S. Sandhu.
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