Academic Bank of Credits and APAAR
The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) form India’s unified digital education system under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, featuring a unique 12-digit lifelong ID, secure credit storage via DigiLocker, and seamless multi-institution credit transfers
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 help build their education brick by brick, across institutions and over time.
Key Features of ABC and APAAR
• One Nation, One Student ID: APAAR provides a single 12-digit digital identity for every student to track learning milestones from school to higher education.
• Credit Accumulation & Redemption: ABC functions like a bank for academic credits earned from recognized institutions, holding them valid for up to 7 years.
• Multiple Entry and Exit (MEME): Allows students to pause studies and resume later, using stored credits to pick up where they left off.
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 institutions and 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 record.
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 10 kg 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.
