**Executive Summary**
This report outlines the implementation and progress of India’s Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and the 12-digit APAAR ID system, designed to facilitate a lifelong learning ecosystem under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The initiative enables seamless credit accumulation, transfer, and redemption across educational institutions. A critical deadline noted is June 30, 2026, by which all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were mandated to upload credit data for examinations held in 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Core Definitions and Objectives**
* **Academic Bank of Credits (ABC):** A digital platform regulated by the UGC for storing, managing, and redeeming academic credits earned from recognized institutions.
* **APAAR ID:** A unique 12-digit "One Nation, One Student ID" linked to the ABC, serving as a permanent academic identity for learners from school through higher education.
* **Lifelong Learning:** The system supports the National Credit Framework (NCrF) to recognize learning across formal, informal, and vocational streams.
**Operational Mechanics**
* **Registration:** Students register via the ABC portal using Aadhaar and DigiLocker to generate an APAAR ID.
* **Credit Validity:** Earned credits are valid for a maximum of seven years or the duration prescribed by the specific academic discipline.
* **Redemption:** Once credits are redeemed toward a qualification, they cannot be reused for further transfer or redemption.
* **Data Management:** The National Academic Depository (NAD) serves as the primary storage backbone for all certificates, degrees, and marksheets.
**Key Features and Frameworks**
* **Multiple Entry Multiple Exit (MEME):** Enables students to exit with a Certificate after one year, a Diploma after two years, or a Degree after three/four years.
* **Academic Mobility:** Students can move between different HEIs without losing academic progress.
* **SWAYAM Integration:** Students can earn up to 40% of their total credits through the SWAYAM online platform.
* **Travel Benefits:** Authenticated APAAR ID holders (ages 13–30) are eligible for a 10% discount on base airfares and a 10kg extra baggage allowance.
**Infrastructure and Security**
* **Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI):** Utilizes the SAMARTH ERP and APIs for institutional integration and student authentication.
* **Security Protocols:** Employs encryption and Aadhaar-linked DigiLocker credentials to ensure data privacy in compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
* **Emerging Tech:** Introduction of "Blockchain for Digital Credentials" to provide tamper-proof, sovereign digital records.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students**
**Impact**
Students benefit from increased flexibility in their education, the ability to resume studies after a break within seven years, and simplified verification of digital records. They also gain access to specific commercial perks like travel discounts.
**Action Required**
Students must register on the ABC portal or at a Common Service Centre (CSC) to generate their APAAR ID and link it to their Aadhaar and DigiLocker accounts.
**Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Award Granting Institutions (AGIs)**
**Impact**
Institutions are responsible for the transparency and digitization of academic records. They must align their curricula with the MEME framework and the National Credit Framework.
**Action Required**
Institutions must register on the ABC, integrate their platforms using provided APIs, and upload credit data for all students directly to the NAD-ABC portal.
**Skill Awarding Bodies and Schools**
**Impact**
These entities are now integrated into a unified ecosystem, ensuring that vocational and school-level achievements are creditized and mapped to a student's permanent record.
**Action Required**
These bodies must ensure all learner records are mapped with APAAR IDs under the NAD-ABC framework to facilitate credit recognition.
Key Entities Referenced
Academic Bank of Credits (ABC): A digital initiative and platform for storing, managing, and transferring academic credits earned by students from recognized award-granting institutions.
APAAR ID (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry): A unique 12-digit student identification number and lifelong academic identity linked to the ABC system to consolidate educational records.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The foundational policy providing the vision for a flexible education system with multiple entry and exit options supported by the ABC initiative.
National Credit Framework (NCrF): A comprehensive framework that encompasses academic, vocational, and experiential learning to enable credit recognition across different institutions.
University Grants Commission (UGC): The primary regulatory body responsible for implementation and mandating institutions to upload credit data to the ABC system.
PIB Backgrounder
Academic Bank of Credits and APAAR
Building India's Lifelong Learning Ecosystem
प्रव तथ: 04 JUL 2026 8:47PM by PIB Delhi
Academic Bank of Credits: An Overview
The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) is a revolutionary initiative by the Ministry of Education and is
regulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC). It is a digital platform built to support every
learner’s journey by providing a secure digital platform for storing, managing, transferring, and redeeming
academic credits earned by students from recognised award granting institutions.
APAAR ID (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is a unique 12-digit student
identification number linked to the ABC system. Introduced as part of the “One Nation, One Student ID”
initiative, APAAR creates a single academic identity for every learner. Accessible through DigiLocker &
ABC platform, it brings together a student's educational records from higher education, skill & vocational
education, and other learning professional programmes onto one platform. Further School education
records will be also credeitized and mapped with APAAR ID under NAD-ABC. For remote and
underserved areas, APAAR IDs can be generated through the nearest Common Service Centre (CSC)
too. As of July 2nd 2026, 26.35 crore verified APAAR IDs have been generated across India.
Together, ABC and a student’s APAAR ID helps build their education brick by brick, across institutions
and over time.
Objectives of ABC
The main objective of ABC is to create a flexible, learner-friendly education system in which learning
achievements can be recognised, stored, and used throughout a person's life. It supports the vision of the
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Credit Framework (NCrF) by enabling
credit transfer, multiple entry and exit options, and recognition of learning across different institutionsand disciplines. This means that if a student chooses to drop out of studies after having completed it
partially, the credits that he earned are stored in this ABC data bank. These credits can be used by him
towards completion of his studies when he chooses to rejoin in future, under the self-life of seven years
for redemption and transfer of the credits.
ABC and APAAR help learners maintain a digital record of their achievements, simplify credit transfer
between institutions, and improve transparency in maintaining academic records. The platform also
supports integration with schools, universities, skill institutions, and other education stakeholders,
creating a connected education ecosystem.
How Does ABC Work
Students register on the ABC portal and receive a unique ABC ID (Renamed as APAAR ID) linked
to their Aadhaar and DigiLocker account.
Students belonging to eligible Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Skill Awarding Bodies can
use the ABC facility.
Award Granting Institutions in a capacity to issue Certificates, Degrees & Marksheets, can upload
credit data directly to the NAD-ABC portal against each student's APAAR ID.
Students can accumulate, transfer, and redeem credits across HEIs without losing academic
progress.
Credits are valid for a maximum of 7 years or the duration prescribed by the relevant academic
discipline. Once redeemed, credits cannot be reused for transfer or redemption.
Certificates & Marksheets issuance is handled by academic institutions (AGIs) via the National
Academic Depository (NAD) platform.
The NAD serves as the backbone of ABC, securely storing all academic awards and records.
Academic Bank of Credits: Progress Report
The initiative has already achieved significant scale across the country. For all examinations held in
2025, the UGC were mandated all Higher Education Institutions to upload credit data on the NAD-ABC
portal by 30th June, 2026. Report As on dated 2nd July 2026 -Organization Institution Institutions APAAR IDs Credit records
Type Type Registered for Created and (Grade sheet)
ABC (Count) Mapped to the mapped with
Awarding Learners APAAR
Institution ID
Autonomous Autonomous 1287 33,25,904 1,04,27,612
College College
Standalone Standalone 258 5,54,652 2,95,351
Institutions Institutions
Institute of AIIMS 10 8,697 -
National
Importance IIIT 25 36,175 89,767
IIM 21 30,971 98,216
IISER 7 13,493 46,161
IIT 23 1,09,262 3,41,666
NID 5 1,922 3,690
NIFTEM 1 1,188 5,270
NIPER 6 2,240 6,334
NIT 31 1,59,807 4,05,168
Others INI 14 22,769 66,923
SPA 3 2,706 7,774University Central 57 49,09,200 57,73,788
University
Deemed to be 141 15,45,183 42,03,142
University
Private 521 34,56,172 87,17,160
University
State 489 3,37,32,125 6,73,09,371
University
Total Count of (HEIs) 2899 4,79,12,466 9,77,97,393
Skill Awarding Skill ABs 98 36,98,558 3,37,838
Bodies
School (APAAR IDs - 16.62 (Cr.) -
Education in School)
Unmapped (APAAR ID) - 3.39 (Cr.) -
Managing Data Security in ABC and APAAR
The platforms adopt robust security protocols and encryption standards to ensure data privacy and
integrity. Access is authenticated via APAAR ID and Aadhaar-linked DigiLocker credentials,
safeguarding user information while maintaining seamless accessibility across all integrated systems and
institutional frameworks.
Key Features and Outcomes
Academic Mobility: Students can study across multiple HEIs and transfer their credits seamlessly
between programmes and institutions.
ABC provides students with a seamless, consent-based document exchange system that
streamlines verification and significantly reduces processing time.
Multiple Entry Multiple Exit (MEME): ABC enables the MEME framework under NEP
2020.This allows provisions for obtaining a Certificate after completion of one year; Diploma after
two years; Degree after three or four years. More than 700 Universities & 6,600 Colleges are
offering multiple entry exit options.
Students can access their academic records and digital certificates from anywhere, at any time.
Reduced dropout rates and improved motivation to learn continuously.
ABC is bridging the gap between the formal, informal and experiential learning.
Under this initiative, there are several student-linked benefits. By authenticating the APAAR ID,
students between the ages of 13 and 30 can unlock exclusive travel benefits, including up to a 10%
discount on base airfares and an extra 10kg baggage allowance.SWAYAM Integration: Students may avail up to 40% of credits from the SWAYAM online
platform. About 450 universities have adopted this regulation, broadening access to quality learning.
National Credit Framework (NCrF): NCrF is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP)
2020 and encompasses academic, vocational, and experiential learning. NCrF has been adopted by
196 universities across India as of 2026.
ABCs Digital Public Infrastructure
ABC is a key component of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for education, under the
Digital India Programme.
Integration with NAD-DigiLocker allows students secure, anytime access to their own verified
academic records.
The Digital India Corporation/NeGD (Ministry of Electronics and IT) featured ABC-NAD in its
Digital India 'Ask Our Experts' series in November 2024.
Deploying the SAMARTH ERP (prominent, cloud-based e-governance platform) for ABC
integration provides a standardised, unified gateway for students and university administration.
ABC Providing APIs for the Integration with the Institutional platform to verify Students APAAR
ID and issuance of records on NAD-ABC.
For students authentication institutions and their educational platform may also consume login with
APAAR ID module using Single-sign-on.
CSCs in remote villages now serve as on-ground points for ABC and APAAR registration, bridging
the digital divide.
Towards A Trusted Digital Education Ecosystem
Together, ABC and APAAR are building a trusted digital ecosystem for academic records, making
education more flexible, transparent, and accessible for every learner. By enabling seamless credit
mobility, secure record management, and lifelong learning, these initiatives are laying the foundation for
a future-ready education system.
As these platforms continue to evolve and scale, emerging technologies offer new opportunities to
further strengthen the security and authenticity of digital academic credentials. In this context,
Blockchain for Digital Credentials offers the next step. Developed by the Digital India Corporation, it is
India’s sovereign blockchain platform for secure, verifiable and tamper-proof digital credentials at scale.
Blockchain for Digital Credentials can be adopted in two ways: Through DIC’s managed blockchain
infrastructure for quick deployment or by operating dedicated blockchain nodes for greater autonomy
and flexibility. All academic data remains within India’s sovereign digital infrastructure, and the platform
is fully compliant with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.References
Ministry of Education
https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
https://www.abc.gov.in/about-us
https://www.abc.gov.in
https://www.abc.gov.in/faq
https://apaar.education.gov.in/
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2003802&lang=2®=48&utm
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1452271933596230&set=a.358256662997768
Ministry of Electronics and IT
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2072877®=48&lang=2
Ministry of Finance
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219936®=3&lang=1
University Grants Commission
https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/5572622_Academic-Bank-of-Credits-Regulation.pdf
https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/9363820_Academic-Bank-of-Credits-(ABC).pdf
https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/9028476_Report-of-National-Credit-Framework.pdf
PIB Backgrounder
https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/jul/doc2025729593701.pdf
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=154950&ModuleId=3®=3&lang=1
Click to see PDF
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PIB Research
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