CHENNAI: Government students will no longer have to queue up at other facilities to get themselves enrolled for Aadhaar. From Friday, they can apply at their respective schools.

Visiting the enrolment centre, filling out the form, getting demographic and biometric data captured, submitting identity and address proof, and collecting acknowledgement slips – all can now be done within the comforts of school premises, thanks to a School Education Department initiative. Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi will inaugurate it at Kalapatti Higher Secondary School in Coimbatore on Friday.

The Education Department has collaborated with ELCOT for the initiative. Special camps will be held in over 37,500 schools, and parents with toddlers who are yet to join schools are also encouraged to apply. Parents can also avail of the same while enrolling the ward in Class 1.

The department already possesses the data on the number of students without Aadhaar, both school-wise and region-wise. “There are certain challenges that students and parents go through in availing Aadhaar card, especially in rural TN. Hence, this initiative will help them effortlessly avail education loans, and scholarships and write entrance exams,” said an official.

The aim is to prevent students from missing out on opportunities due to lack of government documents. “Also, common errors appearing while availing of Aadhaar card such as name and date of birth mismatches can be prevented, as the schools already have students’ data,” added the staff.