Demanding Aadhaar For School Admission Would Be Contempt of Court: UIDAI

New Delhi: With admission to nursery and upper classes set to begin soon, the Aadhaar issuing authority has made it clear that schools insistence for the 12-digit biometric identifier for admission will clearly be seen as contempt of court.

The warning to school from The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) came after September 26 verdict of a five member bench of the Supreme Court headed by the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, clipping the scope of Aadhaar even as it upheld its constitutional validity.

Several states including Odisha had made Aadhaar mandatory for school admission preceding the Supreme Court’s order. However, UIDAI’s clarification has brought in a sense of relief to the parents and wards, especially when admissions to nursery and upper classes for the upcoming academic session are due soon.

“…school admission and other facility to children cannot be made conditional to production of Aadhaar,” news agency PTI quoted UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey as saying.

While some schools are still demanding for Aadhaar, Pandey said it will clearly be seen as contempt of court.

UIDAI has asked the school authorities and their managements to ensure that no child is denied admission for lack of Aadhaar. “In fact, schools should admit children without Aadhaar and ensure that children are given Aadhaar once they are in schools by arranging special camps for them,” he said.

The Apex Court verdict had emphasised that it would not be mandatory for school admissions, as also for the examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Examination, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical entrance and the University Grants Commission.

While Odisha had made Aadhaar mandatory, some reports said the School and Mass Education Department had warned that if school authority is found to have failed in enrolling all its students with their Aadhar numbers, the headmaster of the school concerned will be taken to task.