India's Academic Bank of Credits Achieves Significant Scale with 26.3 Crore APAAR IDs
The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), a digital platform established by the Ministry of Education and regulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), has reached substantial nationwide penetration with 26.30 crore verified APAAR IDs generated across India as of June 2026. The APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID is a unique 12-digit student identification number introduced as part of the "One Nation, One Student ID" initiative, creating a single academic identity for every learner accessible through DigiLocker.
The platform serves as a digital repository for storing, managing, transferring, and redeeming academic credits earned by students from recognized educational institutions. Credits are valid for a maximum of 7 years or the duration prescribed by the relevant academic discipline, and once redeemed, credits cannot be reused. The system supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 vision by enabling credit transfer, multiple entry and exit options, and recognition of learning across different institutions and disciplines.
Institutional Participation and Data Metrics
As of the latest data, 2,963 Higher Education Institutions have registered for the ABC system. The UGC has mandated all HEIs to upload credit data on the ABC portal by 30th June 2026. The breakdown by institution type shows significant participation: 1262 Autonomous Colleges, 57 Central Universities, 140 Deemed Universities, 520 Private Universities, 488 State Universities, 96 Skill institutions, and various Institutes of National Importance including 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 21 IIMs, 25 IIITs, 7 IISERs, 10 AIIMS, and others.
The data reveals that State Universities have created the highest number of APAAR IDs at 3.36 crore, followed by School Education at 16.62 crore, and Skill institutions at 1.51 crore. In terms of educational records stored, School Education leads with 71.46 crore records, followed by State Universities with 26.74 crore, and Skill institutions with 6.55 crore. The total educational records across all categories stand at 110.65 crore.
Key Features and Student Benefits
The ABC platform enables Multiple Entry and Exit (MEE) framework under NEP 2020, allowing students to obtain a Certificate after one year, Diploma after two years, and Degree after three or four years. Currently, 153 universities offer multiple entry options, benefiting 31,156 undergraduate and 5,583 postgraduate students.
Students between ages 13-30 can unlock exclusive travel benefits through APAAR authentication, including up to 10% discount on base airfares and an extra 10kg baggage allowance. The platform integrates with SWAYAM, allowing students to avail up to 40% of credits from the online platform, with 388 universities having adopted this regulation.
Technical Infrastructure and Security
The ABC system uses the National Academic Depository (NAD) as its backbone for securely storing all academic awards and records. It employs robust security protocols and encryption standards with access authenticated via APAAR ID and Aadhaar-linked DigiLocker credentials. The platform is integrated with SAMARTH ERP, a cloud-based e-governance platform, and utilizes Common Service Centers in remote villages as registration points to bridge the digital divide.
The initiative is aligned with the National Credit Framework (NCrF), covering academic, vocational, and experiential learning, which has been adopted by 170 universities across India as of 2026. The system is positioned as a key component of India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for education under the Digital India Programme, with potential future integration with Bharat Praman Chain, India's sovereign blockchain platform for secure, verifiable digital credentials.