The government emphatically reiterates that every child has the right to education without hindrance, and no child should be denied admission due to the lack of an Aadhaar card. This echoes their commitment to equitable access to education, as declared in 2018 and 2021. Yet, it’s disheartening to hear that some schools continue to demand Aadhaar for admissions, disregarding official directives. Ensuring every child’s right to education is vital, and strict implementation of policies is needed to eliminate discrimination in this regard. Vigilance remains crucial to guaranteeing equal opportunities for all children across the nation.
Aadhaar Not Mandatory for School Admissions
“Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the majority of the schools come under the purview of the respective State and UT Governments. As per the circular dated 05.09.2018 issued by Unique Identification Authority of India, children may not be deprived/denied of their due benefits or rights for want of Aadhaar. No child should be denied admission and other facilities for lack of Aadhaar,” replied Dharmendra Pradhan, Education Minister.
“The Department of School Education and Literacy has also issued a notification dated 29.11.2021 stating that no eligible child shall be denied benefit under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha in case of failure to establish his identity by undergoing authentication or furnishing proof of possession of Aadhaar number or in the case of a child to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned, producing an application for enrolment, the benefit shall be given to him by verifying his identity on the basis of other documents,” he further said.
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Numerous insightful reports have illuminated the distressing situation of children, especially those from marginalized communities, facing significant obstacles in accessing their fundamental right to education. This predicament arises from the imposition of mandatory Aadhaar enrollment for admission to government schools by certain states.
