Aadhar cards must for teachers’ salaries, students’ scholarships

The education department has urged schools to register and collect the Aadhar cards for their teachers and students by March 31. Teachers will require the cards to receive their salaries, while students will need them to claim benefits such as scholarships.

“We are trying to speed up this process. We have asked officials to create awareness about the cards wherever they go. Schools will not be given government aid if they do not have the cards,” said Rajendra Darda, school education minister.

The move was prompted by the bogus students’ scam unearthed earlier this year. Over 1.80 crore students studying in one lakh primary and secondary schools in the state, including 32,573 private schools, will be given Aadhar cards which contain a Unique Identification Number (UID), and the education department will use the cards to crack down on bogus students.

A state-wide survey of schools in October 2011 had revealed that many schools were indulging in malpractices by showing bogus students on their rolls. Education officers in charge of primary and secondary schools will have to work with district-level officials to make a district-wise timetable for the issuing of UID cards to schools. They will then have to submit a report to the education director fortnightly on the status of the schools.