The Supreme Court has directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to implement an opt-out safeguard for the APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID system, following a judgment by the Orissa High Court.The court emphasized that the scheme, which links student IDs to Aadhaar, must allow parents to explicitly consent or opt out.The decision comes after a petition challenged the constitutional validity of the system, arguing it compels enrollment and raises privacy concerns.Senior advocate Indira Jaising contended that the scheme violates the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, as parents lack informed consent.The bench acknowledged the scheme's purpose of creating unique academic identities for students but stressed adherence to data protection laws.

The CBSE is now mandated to follow the Orissa HC’s directions nationwide, ensuring students not enrolled in APAAR are not denied educational benefits.The court also reiterated that data collected must strictly comply with existing privacy regulations.