Punjab approves unified student data system

The Punjab School Education Department has approved the introduction of a modern digital identification and unified data management system for nearly 15 million pupils enrolled in government schools, marking a major step towards modernising the province's education sector.

The initiative, which will initially be implemented in government schools before being extended to private educational institutions, aims to create a comprehensive digital record for every pupil, improve transparency and strengthen monitoring across the education system.

Under the new system, each pupil will be assigned a permanent Unique ID that will serve as a lifelong educational identifier. The ID will provide authorised access to the pupil's academic history, examination results and other essential information through a single integrated digital platform.

According to the School Education Department, the unified database will maintain records including academic performance, pass or fail status, current class, age, basic health information, city of residence and other relevant details.

A key feature of the initiative is that a pupil's Unique ID will remain unchanged even if they transfer from one government school to another. This will ensure that their complete educational record is preserved and can be accessed immediately by the receiving institution, eliminating the need to recreate student records.

School Education Secretary Mudassir Riaz informed district education officers during a meeting that the primary objective of the project is to enhance transparency, improve oversight and support more effective educational planning across the province.