Lucknow University has uploaded digital identity cards for all 21,268 students admitted during the 2026-27 academic session to the Government of India’s DigiLocker platform, becoming the first state university in the country to offer the facility at this scale, according to university officials.
The QR-code-based identity cards cover students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, Shastri and PhD programmes. The university said the initiative would reduce paperwork, eliminate the need to collect physical cards from administrative offices and make student identity verification easier.
The cards are linked to the university’s authorised server and each student’s Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID. Students can access and download their cards through the DigiLocker app or website.
How can students access their DigiLocker ID cards?
Students can retrieve their digital identity cards by logging into DigiLocker with their registered credentials and selecting the ‘Generate vCard’ option below their profile photograph. The QR-code-based card will then be displayed and can be downloaded for use.
University spokesperson Prof. Mukul Srivastava said, “All 21,268 newly admitted students can now access their QR code-based identity cards through DigiLocker without having to stand in queues at departments or administrative offices to collect them.”
The digital cards are intended to remain accessible through students’ smartphones, reducing the risk of physical cards being lost, damaged or stolen. They can also be used to verify identity for campus facilities, including the Central Tagore Library, reading halls, computer laboratories, hostels and sports complexes.
What is the role of APAAR IDs?
APAAR, or Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry, is part of the government’s ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative. It provides students with a unique identification number intended to help organise and access academic records.
By linking the university’s digital identity cards with APAAR IDs and its own database, Lucknow University aims to make student identity verification more secure and reduce the possibility of fake or duplicated cards.
The QR codes can be scanned for verification at examinations and other institutions, according to the university. Officials have also said the cards can be used when seeking eligible public transport concessions and accessing other services that require proof of student identity.
Will students still need physical identity cards?
The university expects the digital system to reduce its dependence on plastic identity cards and laminated paper cards. The initiative is expected to avoid the use of more than 21,000 PVC cards and lamination sheets for the newly admitted cohort, supporting the university’s green campus efforts.
Students will be able to show the digital card on their phones when required. However, whether a particular examination authority, transport agency or other institution accepts it will depend on the applicable verification requirements.
The university has said that the digital identity cards carry legal validity under the Information Technology Act. Students should nevertheless follow any specific instructions issued by the institution or agency where the ID is presented.
What happens after students complete their courses?
According to reports on the university’s rollout, the digital ID is designed to become inactive once a student completes the respective programme. This is intended to ensure that the card remains associated with the student’s active enrolment.
The initiative follows the university’s earlier decision to make DigiLocker-based identity cards available from the 2026-27 academic session. The university had said the system would be integrated with APAAR IDs and used across its campuses.