Thiruvananthapuram: Technology activists have come out against the decision to make Aadhar mandatory for various educational projects claiming that it was against the spirit of the Supreme Court verdict on the issue. They have initiated a campaign through the website rethinkaadhaar.in against the move. The UGC has been making Aadhaar mandatory for various services though the Supreme Court had said that Aadhar cannot be made mandatory for any services. A few days ago, the UGC directed all universities and educational institutions to introduce identification mechanisms, including the photograph of students and Aadhar number, in degrees and certificates that are awarded to students.
UGC secretary J.S. Sandhu said in a circular sent to the universities that such features in mark sheets and certificates issued were useful for verification and also curbing duplication. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered the Central Government to remove a condition making it mandatory for the students to give their Aadhar numbers for various scholarship schemes. Technology activist Anivar Aravind told Deccan Chronicle that the Supreme Court in October 2015 had clarified that “Aadhar card scheme is purely voluntary and it cannot be made mandatory till the matter is finally decided by this court one way or the other.
Parliament passed Aadhar Bill as a money Bill. It was named Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, introduced by the finance ministry and its aim was specified as to streamlining the distribution of subsidies,” Mr Aravind said. Recently, the UGC had made Aadhar mandatory for PhD research scholars. The commission has asked universities to upload the details of the PhD students including the names of their supervisors and the students’ Aadhar numbers, PhD mode, their research topic, date of completion and details of fellowship on the website. The earlier decision of the CBSE to make Aadhar compulsory for the Joint Entrance Examinations (JEE) for admissions to IITs and other central institutions had triggered a row.
