The University Grants Commission (UGC) directed Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to rigorously follow the rules and regulations established by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Specifically, HEIs are asked not to print the entire Aadhaar card number on students’ degree certificates.
According to the UGC, and some news reports, some state governments are considering printing the full Aadhaar number of university students on provisional certificates and degrees issued by the universities for subsequent use in verification of the said documents during recruitment or admission.
“As per norms, no entity in possession of Aadhaar number shall make public any database or record containing the same unless the number has been redacted or blacked out through appropriate means,” UGC Secretary Manish Joshi said in a letter to varsities.
“Printing of Aadhaar numbers on degrees and provisional certificates is not permissible. The higher education institutions should strictly comply with the rules and regulations of UIDAI,” he added.
Printing the Aadhaar number on provisional certificates and degrees is not permitted under the present legislation. The UGC has consequently recommended that Higher Education Institutions carefully follow the rules and regulations of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
