As the Digital India programme completes eleven years on 1 July 2026, India continues to strengthen digital public infrastructure to make governance more transparent, accessible and citizen-centric. Since its launch in 2015, Digital India has transformed public service delivery across sectors, including education, through trusted digital platforms that improve ease of living and promote efficient governance.

In the education sector, Digital India has supported the development of digital platforms that promote lifelong learning, academic mobility and secure digital credentials in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and the National Academic Depository (NAD) are among the key initiatives driving this transformation.

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Academic Bank of Credits: Enabling Flexible Learning

The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), an initiative of the Ministry of Education regulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), is a digital platform for storing, transferring and redeeming academic credits earned by students from recognised higher education institutions. It supports the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Credit Framework by enabling Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit (MEME), credit transfer and flexible learning pathways.

Integrated with APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry), ABC provides every learner with a unique lifelong academic identity, enabling secure access to academic records across school education, higher education, skill development and other recognised learning programmes through a unified digital platform.

As per the latest progress, 2,963 higher education institutions have registered on the ABC platform. More than 26.29 crore APAAR IDs have been created, while over 110.65 crore academic records have been uploaded, reflecting the growing adoption of the digital academic ecosystem across the country.

ABC simplifies academic administration by replacing physical documentation with secure digital records, enabling students to access, transfer and redeem academic credits online. It also facilitates faster verification of academic credentials for admissions, scholarships, internships and employment, reducing paperwork while enhancing transparency and trust.

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National Academic Depository: Trusted Digital Academic Records

The National Academic Depository (NAD) is a 24×7 online repository of academic awards that enables educational institutions to issue, store and verify academic certificates, degrees, diplomas and mark sheets in a secure digital format. Developed under the Digital India programme, NAD provides learners with anytime-anywhere access to authenticated academic records while enabling institutions, employers and government agencies to digitally verify credentials.

By replacing physical certificates with digitally authenticated records, NAD reduces administrative costs, minimises paperwork and eliminates the risk of loss or damage of academic documents. Secure online verification also helps curb the use of forged certificates while improving transparency and efficiency in admissions, recruitment, scholarships and other public services.

Key Benefits of ABC, APAAR and NAD

Together, the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), APAAR and the National Academic Depository (NAD) are strengthening India's digital academic ecosystem by:

• Providing secure digital academic records, reducing dependence on physical certificates and minimising the risk of loss, damage or forgery.
• Enabling anytime, anywhere access to academic credits, certificates and mark sheets through an integrated digital platform.
• Supporting flexible learning by facilitating academic credit transfer and Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit (MEME) in line with NEP 2020.
• Accelerating admissions, scholarships and employment through faster digital verification of academic credentials by educational institutions, employers and government agencies.
• Reducing paperwork and administrative burden by replacing manual verification and repetitive documentation with authenticated digital records.
• Strengthening Digital Public Infrastructure through integration with DigiLocker and other Digital India initiatives, enabling secure exchange and interoperability of academic records.

Beneficiary Stories

Anjali Rathore, an MBA student at Rungta International Skills University, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, shared that the APAAR ID has simplified the verification process and significantly reduced paperwork. She said that she can easily access her academic credentials whenever required, making applications for seminars, competitions, internships and scholarships more convenient. According to her, the digital system has saved both time and effort and has proved to be modern, reliable and highly beneficial for students.

Ashish Tiwangan, a student of Government V.Y.T. PG Autonomous College, Durg, Chhattisgarh, shared that APAAR ID has made managing his academics much easier. He said that his mark sheets, certificates and academic records are now digitally safe and can be accessed easily whenever required. He also highlighted that APAAR ID supports academic credit transfer for future admissions and simplifies scholarship verification. According to him, the initiative has made the student ecosystem smarter, smoother and more paperless, offering significant advantages to students.

Building a Trusted Digital Academic Ecosystem under Digital India

The integration of ABC, NAD, APAAR and DigiLocker has created a connected digital academic ecosystem that enables secure storage, seamless exchange and digital verification of academic records. Together, these initiatives promote interoperability among educational institutions, support academic mobility and facilitate lifelong learning in line with the objectives of NEP 2020.

Over the past eleven years, Digital India has transformed the delivery of educational services by making academic records secure, portable and digitally verifiable. Through initiatives such as ABC and NAD, the Government is advancing paperless governance, reducing administrative burden and building a trusted, citizen-centric digital education ecosystem that supports the vision of a Viksit Bharat.

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Dharmendra Tewari / Dr. Nayan Solanki / Kanishk Sharma / Vanshita Jaiswal