APAAR ID Becomes Mandatory: Are Schools Ready for Full Digital Integration?
- April 1, 2026, 6:39 p.m.
The CBSE has sanctioned a reform package that brings in review-based school grading and shifts exam malpractice handling, student record management and school evaluation through mandatory APAAR academic IDs.
The board approved these decisions during its 142nd Governing Body Meeting in December 2025 and will carry them out from the 2026 to 2027 academic session.
Inspection-Based School Grading to Replace Self-Evaluation
CBSE will substitute its existing self-assessment model under the SQAA framework with an on-site, inspection-led and rigorous assessment model. Based on the minutes of meeting, CBSE is establishing a revamped inspection system under the SQAA+ framework to create a more field-oriented and robust quality assurance mechanism.
CBSE will evaluate schools throughout key domains like governance, academics, infrastructure, inclusivity, student well-being and leadership. It will assign grades ranging from A+ to C according to these evaluations. CBSE will try out the new model in roughly 500 centrally governed schools and those run by Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Eklavya Model Residential and KV Sangathan through a phased rollout.
The revised system launches real-time multi-domain evaluations and on-site reviews, substituting the earlier need for annual self-assessment reports. By moving to third-party, field-backed and evidence-based reviews, CBSE aims to drive information-based school enhancement and fortify accountability.
CBSE will roll out a committed team of review specialists to assess academic standards, school management systems, governance processes, infrastructure readiness and overall institutional operations to support implementation. Schools will get A, A+, & B+ ratings with advocated enhancement tracks and mentioned execution breaks.
CBSE has sanctioned the appointment of 3 consultants from the NICSI-empanelled Ernst & Young LLP to support field evaluation, impact assessment and tracking of the pilot. The 18-month projects are estimated at Rs2.89 crore, covering training, framework building and consultancy.
APAAR ID to Become Compulsory
CBSE will make the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID compulsory for students enrolling in Grades 9 & 11 from the 2026 to 2027 academic session as part of the first step in digital governance. The APAAR’s 12-digit number will serve as a lifelong academic ID, enabling digital monitoring of student records throughout academic and institutional stages.
Stricter Rules on UFM from 2026
Effective from 2026, CBSE has revised its Unfair Means (UFM) policy for board exams. The board will not continue the earlier provision under UFM Category-1 that lets students substitute a cancelled paper with marks from an added subject and still pass. When a student uses UFM in a subject, CBSE will cancel that paper and put the student in the compartment category from 2026 onwards.
UFM Category-1 enforces malpractice limited to a particular subject. The information delivered at the meeting expressed that in the 2025 board examinations, 132/577 Class 12 students and 388/608 Class 10 students booked under this category until passed due to subject substitution. CBSE aims to remove this ambiguity through the revised policy.
RTE Study Approved and Culinary Championship
CBSE has sanctioned the establishment of an ‘Annual Young India Culinary Championship’ for students from Grades 6 - 12, scheduled for December 2026, beyond regulatory reforms. This first step aims to encourage culinary skills, nutrition awareness and food literacy.
CBSE will also cooperate with a non-governmental organisation to carry out a study on the impact and implementation of the RTE Act in affiliated schools. The study will evaluate inclusive learning results for students and their families, specifically in mixed classroom settings. The expected cost of the study is 10 L rupees.
Increased Certificate Correction Fees
CBSE has revised the fees for certificate corrections and date of birth modifications. CBSE will charge 5000 rupees, with added 1,000 rupees for each extra year of the delay for students clearing from 2026 onwards. Students who cleared up to 2025 will continue to pay the earlier correction fee of 1000 rupees.
