Lucknow University puts 21,268 student IDs on DigiLocker, a first for a state varsity
File photo: Raghav 1048 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Lucknow University has issued ID cards of 21,268 new students on DigiLocker, saying it is India's first state university to do so (reports, Oct 14-15, 2026).
What Happened
Students who joined Lucknow University this year no longer need to carry a plastic identity card. The university has made the ID cards of 21,268 newly admitted students available on DigiLocker, the government's digital document wallet, according to reports published on October 14 and 15, 2026. Lucknow University says it is the first state university in India to issue official student identity cards through DigiLocker, acting as its own issuing authority on the platform. The digital cards carry a QR code and cover students on the main campus, the second campus and all faculties from the 2026-27 session.
Key Facts
- ID cards of 21,268 new students of the 2026-27 session have been uploaded to DigiLocker.
- The university says it is the first state university in the country to issue student IDs on DigiLocker.
- Lucknow University acts as the issuing authority, so the card is an official document, not a scanned copy.
- Each digital card carries a QR code that can be scanned to check it.
- Students need an APAAR ID to access the card; the university has made APAAR registration mandatory.
- The digital ID becomes inactive automatically once a student completes the course.
- The plan was first announced in late August 2026 and covers the main campus, the second campus and all faculties.
Why It Matters
For students, the change is practical. A digital card that lives on the phone cannot be lost, forgotten at the hostel or faked easily, and it can be shown at the library, exam hall or campus gate with a QR scan. Because the card stops working when the course ends, the university also closes a gap that paper cards leave open: old ID cards being used long after a student has left.
The step also ties into the push to put student records online. By making the APAAR academic ID compulsory and linking the identity card to it, Lucknow University is pulling its new students into that system from day one. The university had earlier begun delivering degrees and marksheets through DigiLocker, starting with its 2023-24 graduates.
Other state universities can watch how this works in practice. Printing, distributing and replacing physical cards for more than 21,000 new students every year takes time and money; if the digital system runs smoothly in Lucknow, it offers a model others can copy.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Students covered | 21,268 new students, 2026-27 session |
| Platform | DigiLocker, with the university as issuing authority |
| Requirement | APAAR ID (made mandatory) |
| Validity | Becomes inactive when the course is completed |
Impact
Short-term: New students can download their official ID on DigiLocker and use it on campus; those without an APAAR ID must create one to get access.
Long-term: If the model works, more state universities could move to digital, self-expiring ID cards linked to students' academic records, cutting paperwork and misuse.
Who is affected: First-year students at Lucknow University, university staff who check IDs at libraries, hostels and exam halls, and other state universities considering similar systems.
Key Takeaway
Lucknow University has put the ID cards of 21,268 new students on DigiLocker, becoming what it says is the first state university in India to issue student IDs digitally.
Questions and Answers
How can Lucknow University students get their ID card on DigiLocker?
New students of the 2026-27 session can access their official ID card in DigiLocker, where the university is the issuing authority. They need an APAAR ID, which the university has made mandatory.
How many Lucknow University students have DigiLocker ID cards?
Reports published on October 14 and 15, 2026, say the cards of 21,268 new students have been made available on DigiLocker.
What happens to the digital ID card after graduation?
The digital ID becomes inactive automatically once the student completes the course.
Is Lucknow University the first to issue student IDs on DigiLocker?
The university says it is the first state university in India to issue official student identity cards through DigiLocker.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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