Is Aadhaar Card Mandatory for Scholarship?

Is Aadhaar Card mandatory for scholarship? Supreme Court ruling related to the use of Aadhaar Card. Revised Guidelines and other details.

The Aadhaar card, launched in 2009, is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Indian government to every resident in the country. Over the years, the UIDAI-issued Aadhaar card has become an essential document and proof of identity and address for Indian citizens.

In recent times, the government has pushed for linking Aadhaar with several public services like LPG connections, bank accounts, PAN cards etc. to better target beneficiaries. This has led to a perception among citizens that producing an Aadhaar card is compulsory to avail any government scheme or service.

Is Aadhaar Card Mandatory for Scholarship?

One such area where this belief exists is students applying for scholarships. However, the government has clarified through recent announcements that possessing an Aadhaar card is not a mandatory eligibility requirement to apply for scholarships.

Scholarship Programs in India

There are a wide range of scholarship programs offered by the central and state governments as well as private organizations in India. These provide financial aid to students from economically weaker sections to support their educational expenses.

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Some major national scholarship schemes include:

• Pre Matric Scholarships – For students of Class 9 and 10
• Post Matric Scholarships – For undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Merit-cum-Means Scholarship – Based on academic merit and financial need
• Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme – For technical/professional courses
• AICTE Scholarships – For studies in AICTE approved institutes
• Ministry of Minority Affairs Scholarship – For minority community students

In addition, individual states also offer region-specific scholarship plans for domiciles. The eligibility criteria vary across different scholarships based on parameters like family income, merit, gender, minority status, disability etc.

Aadhaar Card Linking

In line with various other public services, the government initially made Aadhaar mandatory for students seeking scholarships in 2018. The key arguments were:

• Aadhaar will help eliminate duplication and fraudulent applicants.
• It will allow better identification and targeting of eligible beneficiaries.
• Scholarship disbursal can happen directly into Aadhaar linked bank accounts.

However, activists and education experts challenged this mandate in the Supreme Court, stating it violates the privacy ruling of not denying benefits for lack of Aadhaar.

Supreme Court Ruling

In September 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar but with certain restrictions. A key highlight was that private entities cannot mandatorily ask for Aadhaar data for providing services. More importantly, it ruled that Aadhaar authentication cannot be mandated for availing government welfare benefits and subsidies.

This meant making Aadhaar compulsory for scholarships was against the Supreme Court verdict. As scholarships are a significant subsidy for economically disadvantaged students, the Ministry of Education clarified that Aadhaar should not be made mandatory for applying.

Is Aadhaar Card Mandatory for Scholarship: Revised Guidelines

To ensure scholarship access is not denied for lack of Aadhaar, the government issued revised guidelines:

1. Students can apply for scholarships through the online portal without providing Aadhaar details.

2. Instead, they can submit the Aadhaar Enrollment ID, which is enough to establish their identity.

3. For students in Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu & Kashmir, even the enrollment ID is not mandatory currently.

4. The scholarship application portals have been updated to allow enrollment ID submission.

These new guidelines enable students who have enrolled for Aadhaar but are yet to get the card, to still apply for and avail scholarships. Education activists have appreciated this move as it makes the system more inclusive.

Implementation Concerns

While the revised rules allow applying for scholarships without Aadhaar, education experts have raised concerns regarding actual scholarship disbursal.

1. Previously, scholarships were directly transferred to students’ bank accounts linked to Aadhaar. The new process needs to be clarified.

2. There are also apprehensions that some states may continue demanding Aadhaar illegally despite the rules. Monitoring implementation is important.

Conclusion

Despite these concerns, the government’s stand of not making Aadhaar mandatory for scholarships is a welcome move. It upholds the Supreme Court judgement and provides much-needed financial aid access to deserving students. Proper awareness campaigns and monitoring of the revised norms’ enforcement are key to ensuring its success. With the right execution, the new guidelines can successfully uphold students’ right to scholarships irrespective of Aadhaar.