Name Change in APAAR ID and DigiLocker: Fix the Right Record First
Your child's school says the APAAR ID cannot be made. Or your Madhyamik marksheet will not come into DigiLocker. Almost always the reason is the same: the name in the school or board record does not match the name on Aadhaar. There is no form to change a name inside APAAR or DigiLocker. You correct one source record, and the match then works. This page shows which record to correct, who corrects it, and when you need nothing more.
Get Call and Name Change Format
APAAR ID and DigiLocker Name Mismatch (Quick Answer)
An APAAR ID is generated only when the student's name, date of birth and gender in the school's UDISE+ record match Aadhaar. DigiLocker fetches a marksheet only when the name on it matches Aadhaar. So find which record is wrong, usually by checking the birth certificate, and correct that one: the school record through the school, or Aadhaar at a centre. School corrections are usually free. A spelling difference never needs a gazette.
| Problem | Record to correct | Who corrects it |
|---|---|---|
| School spelling wrong, Aadhaar right | School record in UDISE+ | The school |
| Aadhaar spelling wrong, school right | Aadhaar | Aadhaar centre, with birth certificate |
| Date of birth differs | Whichever differs from the birth certificate | School or Aadhaar centre |
| Marksheet will not pull into DigiLocker | Board record or Aadhaar | Board through the school, or Aadhaar centre |
| Maiden name marksheet, married Aadhaar | Usually none | Use the original with the marriage certificate |
| ABC ID fails in college | College record or Aadhaar | College office or Aadhaar centre |
What APAAR ID Is and Where Its Name Comes From
APAAR stands for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry. It is a 12-digit academic ID under the Ministry of Education, meant to hold a student's records and credits in one place. In college it is the same account as the ABC ID of the Academic Bank of Credits.
For a school student, the school creates it. It does so through UDISE+, the national school data system, against the student's PEN (Permanent Education Number). The APAAR portal says the PEN is mandatory for this.
The name on the APAAR ID is not typed fresh. It comes from the student record the school keeps in UDISE+, and the school must authenticate it against Aadhaar. When it works, the ID is pushed into the student's DigiLocker, where the card appears under Issued Documents.
Parents give consent on a form. The official portal describes this consent as voluntary. If a school is pressing you, ask it in writing what the current state instruction says.
Why APAAR ID Generation Fails on a Name Mismatch
The official APAAR portal states the rule plainly: the name of the student as per UDISE+ records must match the name as per Aadhaar. Date of birth and gender are checked too. If any of them differ, authentication fails and no ID is made.
In West Bengal, the usual differences are small: Mondal on one and Mandal on the other, Md against Mohammad, a missing Kumar or Kumari, a surname that one record left out, or a date of birth one day apart. Our pages on Md, Mohd and Sk spellings and name order mismatch cover these patterns.
None of these is a change of name. It is a data mismatch between two records, and it is fixed by correcting one of them.
Which Record to Correct: the School Record or Aadhaar?
Do not correct both. Pick the one that is wrong. The easiest test is the birth certificate, because it is usually the oldest record of the child's name.
| What you find | Correct this |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate and Aadhaar agree, school differs | The school record |
| Birth certificate and school agree, Aadhaar differs | Aadhaar |
| All three differ | Settle the birth certificate first, then the other two |
| Child is in Class 10 or above with a board certificate | Usually Aadhaar, because the board certificate is hard to change |
Think about which name the child will live with. The Madhyamik certificate becomes the anchor for jobs and exams later, so the school record matters more than people expect. If the birth certificate itself is wrong, see name change in a child's birth certificate first.
How the School Corrects a Student's Name in UDISE+
Parents cannot edit UDISE+ themselves. The school does it. Give the school a written request with a copy of the birth certificate or Aadhaar that shows the correct spelling.
Write to the head of the school
Say which field is wrong and what it should read. Attach the birth certificate or Aadhaar copy.
School checks its admission register
The school record should follow the admission register and the documents given at admission.
School sends the correction
The school's data person submits the change in UDISE+; the block or district coordinator approves it.
School authenticates again
Once approved, the school runs Aadhaar authentication again and generates the APAAR ID.
This is normally free. It can take a few weeks, because approval sits with the block or district. Keep a copy of your request with the school's receiving stamp.
If the marksheet or school leaving certificate already carries the wrong spelling, that correction is a separate step with the board. Our guides on marksheet and school certificate correction and school leaving certificate correction explain it.
Correcting the Child's Aadhaar Name Instead
If the Aadhaar spelling is the wrong one, correct it at an Aadhaar centre with the birth certificate as proof. For a child, a parent goes along. The steps are in our guide to name change in Aadhaar for a child.
Be careful with one rule. UIDAI allows a name to be changed only twice in a lifetime, and a one-letter correction uses one of those chances. Do not change Aadhaar just to match a wrong school record. You may need that chance later.
If the Bengali line on Aadhaar is the problem and the English line is fine, read Aadhaar Bengali and English name mismatch. APAAR matching works on the English name.
Fix It Before Madhyamik Registration in Class 9
In West Bengal, a student is registered with WBBSE in Class 9, and the name sent for registration comes from the school record. That name is printed on the Madhyamik admit card and certificate.
After that, the Madhyamik certificate becomes the name anchor for almost everything. State recruitment pages show this clearly: for WB Police constable recruitment and WBSSC SLST, details are taken as per Madhyamik.
So if APAAR fails in a lower class, treat it as an early warning. Fixing the school record in Class 6 or Class 8 is a short letter. Fixing a Madhyamik certificate later is much harder.
DigiLocker Name Mismatch: Why Your Marksheet Will Not Pull
DigiLocker's own expert answers say it directly: the name on the document must match the name on your Aadhaar, and if it does not, you will not be able to pull the document. This is to make sure only the rightful owner can fetch it.
WBBSE Madhyamik and WBCHSE Higher Secondary results are available in DigiLocker. If yours will not come, compare the two names letter by letter. DigiLocker's advice is to update either Aadhaar or the name on the document so they match.
Before you change anything, ask whether you need the DigiLocker copy at all. Your original certificate remains valid. If a spelling difference is old and your Aadhaar is right for every other purpose, using the original with a one and the same person affidavit may be simpler than spending an Aadhaar name change.
ABC ID Name Mismatch for College Students in West Bengal
College students make the ID themselves on abc.gov.in, logging in through DigiLocker, then choosing their institution and entering the admission year and roll or registration number. The name and date of birth are checked against DigiLocker, which reads Aadhaar.
If it fails with a mismatch, the same rule applies: correct either the college or university record or Aadhaar. The college office can tell you what name the university holds. If your college does not appear in the list, that is a registration matter for the college, not a name problem.
Our page on name change in education documents covers university records.
Maiden Name on Marksheet, Married Name on Aadhaar
This is one of the most common DigiLocker failures. Your marksheets carry your maiden name, and after marriage your Aadhaar carries your married name. DigiLocker will not pull the marksheet, because the names differ.
DigiLocker suggests asking the board or university to update its record. In practice, boards generally do not reissue a school certificate in a married name. The usual answer is to keep using the original marksheet with your marriage certificate, which links both names. That is not a defect in your papers.
Our guide to education documents after marriage explains what can and cannot be changed.
When a Real Change of Name Is Involved
A gazette is needed only if the name has really changed: a new first name, a dropped or new surname that is not from marriage, or a change of religion. A spelling, initials or order difference is not a change of name, and a gazette will not fix APAAR or DigiLocker by itself.
Even after a gazette, each record is corrected separately. The gazette is supporting proof that the school, the board and UIDAI may ask to see. For a minor, see gazette name change for a minor; for an adult, the gazette name change guide explains both routes.
Common Mistakes With APAAR ID and DigiLocker Names
Changing Aadhaar to match a wrong school record
It uses one of only two lifetime name changes, and the wrong spelling then spreads to every other document.
Correcting both records at once
Two changes in flight can cross, and you end up with a new mismatch. Correct one, then let the school re-run the match.
Getting an affidavit or gazette for a spelling slip
Neither changes the school or Aadhaar record. The school and UIDAI correct their own data.
Waiting until Madhyamik registration
Once the name is printed on the Madhyamik certificate, it is far harder to change.
Paying an agent to edit APAAR directly
Nobody outside the school edits UDISE+. The correction goes through the school, for free.
What to Do When APAAR or DigiLocker Rejects the Name
Compare three names
Aadhaar, school record and birth certificate: name, date of birth and gender.
Decide which is wrong
Usually the one that differs from the birth certificate.
Correct the school record
Written request to the school, with the birth certificate or Aadhaar copy.
Or correct Aadhaar
At an Aadhaar centre with the birth certificate, if Aadhaar is the wrong one.
Ask the school to authenticate again
The APAAR ID is generated once both names match.
Check DigiLocker
The card appears under Issued Documents; fetch marksheets again.
APAAR ID and DigiLocker Name Change: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the name directly in my child's APAAR ID?
No. The name comes from the school record in UDISE+, matched with Aadhaar. You correct one of those records, and the APAAR ID follows.
Why does the school say the APAAR ID cannot be generated?
Usually because the name, date of birth or gender in the school record does not exactly match Aadhaar.
Which record should I correct, school or Aadhaar?
The one that differs from the birth certificate. Do not correct both.
Who corrects the name in UDISE+?
The school, on a written request with proof. The block or district coordinator approves it. Parents cannot edit it themselves.
Is there a fee to correct the school record?
Usually no. Ask the school in writing and keep a stamped copy of your request.
How many times can a child's Aadhaar name be changed?
UIDAI allows a name change twice in a lifetime, children included. A small spelling fix counts as one.
Is APAAR ID compulsory?
The official portal describes parent consent as voluntary. Ask the school for the current written instruction if you are unsure.
Why will my Madhyamik marksheet not come into DigiLocker?
DigiLocker pulls a document only when its name matches Aadhaar. Compare the two names letter by letter.
My marksheet has my maiden name. Must I change it?
Usually not. Use the original marksheet with your marriage certificate, which links both names.
Do I need a gazette for an APAAR name mismatch?
Not for a spelling, initials or order difference. A gazette is only for a real change of name, and even then each record is corrected separately.
My ABC ID in college fails with a name mismatch. What now?
Correct either the college or university record, through the college office, or Aadhaar, so that both match.
Where do I find the APAAR card once it is made?
In DigiLocker, under the Issued Documents section.
Official Sources on APAAR ID and DigiLocker
APAAR portal
apaar.education.gov.in: the UDISE+ and Aadhaar name match rule, PEN requirement and parent consent.
DigiLocker
digilocker.gov.in: name on a document must match Aadhaar to fetch it.
Academic Bank of Credits
abc.gov.in: ABC ID registration for college students.
UIDAI
uidai.gov.in: Aadhaar name updates and the lifetime limit.
WBBSE
wbbse.wb.gov.in: Madhyamik registration and certificate corrections through the school.
Get Call and Name Change Format
Not Sure Which Record Is Wrong?
Send us how the name reads on Aadhaar, the school record and the birth certificate. Most APAAR and DigiLocker problems are fixed free by the school or at an Aadhaar centre, and we will tell you so. If a real change of name is involved, we will tell you which gazette route fits. Monday to Saturday, across West Bengal.