ABC ID Card Full Form, Uses, How to Create & Download

Students can store their academic credit digitally, enabling their safe storage through the ABC ID card. The ABC ID card is an initiative of the Ministry of Education (MoE) to help transform the education system strategically with a crucial approach toward student growth. 

Keep reading this article to learn more about: 

• What is an ABC ID card?
• Purposes and benefits of ABC ID card
• Creation of ABC ID card through various portals

ABC ID Card Overview

Here's the overview of an ABC ID card:

What is ABC ID Card?

ABC ID cards store the academic credits and information of students in a digital ID to keep them safe and secure. The NEP (National Education Policy) launched this program as an initiative from the UGC (University Grants Commission). The MoE (Ministry of Education) and MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) oversee this programme.

Students in India can obtain the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) ID, a unique 12-digit code, to digitally manage, store, and access their academic credits, including certificates, diplomas, degrees, training details, and co-curricular achievements. The ABC ID acts as a link to DigiLocker, where students can securely store essential documents like exam mark sheets. 

The ABC ID receives students’ academic credits from institutions through the National Academic Depository. These credits awarded by registered institutions to a student for a programme will be stored digitally in the ABC, which can be shared or transferred from one institution to another upon students’ consent. This streamlines the authentication for admissions or jobs, simplifying the verification of academic records. 

ABC ID Card Full Form

Full form of ABC ID card is the Academic Bank of Credits. As the name suggests, it records higher educational credits earned by a student from UGC-recognised institutions, which can be transferred between institutions.

What is Identity Value in ABC ID Card?

As the name suggests, Identity Value in ABC ID is a unique data that helps differentiate each student in the ABC ID system. Also known as ‘Identifier Value’, this data includes an alphanumeric combination of the user's initials, date of birth, etc. The Identity Value is the student’s roll number, registration number, admission number or enrolment number provided by the institution where the student is studying. 

It helps track, manage, and recognise all the students' accounts in the ABC ID. The authorities can identify the data and keep them confidential to enhance the security and efficiency of the ABC ID system.

Purpose of ABC ID Card

Below are the purposes of ABC ID:

• Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) will help open, close, and validate every student’s academic account.
• Apart from gathering students’ academic credits, ABC ID verifies them and stores the credits to transfer or promote them as per requirements.
• The ABC ID card maintains the confidentiality and authenticity of student credits.
• It facilitates faster credit recognition and transfer credits through digital mode.
• ABC ID will store credits earned by students from online and distance courses offered by the government of India.
• Students can redeem the credits and seek direct admission at any university in the second year.

Benefits of ABC ID Card

Here are some of the notable benefits of Academic Bank of Credit ID:

• ABC ID monitors students’ academic performance continuously and comprehensively.
• Once the ABC ID is issued to the students, a permanent identifier is assigned to their name. The entire process begins from Class I to offer smooth and hassle-free academic tracking throughout every student's educational journey.
• Traditional paper-based records may get damaged or lost, causing severe inconveniences. However, ABC ID is a digital way of storing students’ academic records, which helps reduce the administrative burden.
• These credit records help educators analyse the subject-specific weaknesses and expertise of a student through their ABC ID.
• ABC ID card allows multiple entry and multiple exit for students.
• Students' credit is stored for a maximum shelf life of seven years keeping it safe.
• Credits on the ABC card can be easyly transferred through a single window after approval of destination and source academic institution.
• ABC ID card ensures genuineness of credit as only verified academic institutions can upload credits. 
• ABC improves transparency and helps to build a more flexible approach to curriculum design and development.

How to Create ABC ID Card Using Different Portals?

You can create an ABC ID card through different ways, which are provided in detail below.

How to Create an ABC ID Card Through DigiLocker Portal?

Step 1: Visit the DigiLocker portal. Existing users can log in by clicking on the ‘Sign In’ button, and new users can click on the ‘Sign Up’ button to create a new account and sign in.

Step 2: Use your username and password or Aadhaar number and mobile number to log in.

Step 3: After logging in, click on ‘Search Documents’.

Step 4: Under ‘Education and Learning’, click on ‘Academic Bank of Credits’.

Step 5: Next, select ‘APAAR/ABC ID Card’.

Step 6: Enter the details such as your name, gender, date of birth, admission year, institution name, Identity Value, etc. After filling out all the required details and ticking the consent box, you need to click on the ‘Get Document’ button.

How to Create an ABC ID Card Through ABC Portal?

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Academic Bank of Credits.

Step 2: Click on the ‘My Account’ button available on the right side of the page and select ‘Student’.

Step 3: Click on the ‘Sign Up’ button.

Step 4: You can create an account with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.

Step 5: Enter the OTP you receive to register and sign in to DigiLocker.

Step 6: The ‘Meri Pehchaan’ dashboard will appear, and a window will pop up where you need to select the university you studied at or are studying at, the admission year, and identity type from the drop-down menu.

Step 7: Enter your identity type and click ‘Submit’.

ABC ID Creation through QR Code Scanning

Step 1: Visit the official website of the Academic Bank of Credits.

Step 2: Scan the QR code provided on the home page. 

Step 3: Log in to the DigiLocker app.

Step 4: A form containing your name, gender, and DOB will open.

Step 5: Choose your Identity Type, Admission year, and Academic Institution from the list, and enter your Identity Value.

Step 6: Click on the ‘Get Document’ button. Your ABC ID will be generated.

Step 7: After creating your ABC ID successfully, you can find it under the ‘My Issued Documents’.

How to Download an ABC ID Card?

Here are the steps to follow to download your ABC ID card from DigiLocker after creating an ABC ID card:

Step 1: Visit the DigiLocker portal and enter your credentials to log in to your account.

Step 2: Click on the ‘Issued Documents’ option.

Step 3: Click on ‘Academic Bank of Credit ID’.

Step 4: Wait till your ID is fetched. Click on ‘Download’.

Step 5: A PDF file of your ABC ID will be downloaded.

ABC ID Card Contact Information

Students can get in touch with the Academic Bank of Credits office in case of any queries or doubts:

Academic Bank of Credits
National e-Governance Division, Ministry of Electronics & IT,
4th Floor, Electronics Niketan, 6, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi - 110003

Students can also contact the UGC-NAD for any doubts:

UGC-NAD
South Campus, University of Delhi,
Benito Juarez Marg,
New Delhi - 110021, INDIA

Email ID: support-nad@gov.in 

Contact Number: 011-24117095, 24116316, 24115416

Students can create their ABC ID account to keep a safe record of their academic credits. This enhances their scope and chances of educational and career choices. A student holding an ABC ID card can drop out of the institution at any time and redeem the semester credits to rejoin the institution afterward as per convenience. Thus, time spent in higher education will never be wasted.