Telangana to Assign 11-Digit Permanent Education Number to Inter Students

HYDERABAD — Intermediate students across Telangana will be assigned an 11-digit Permanent Education Number to track their academic progress and monitor dropout rates, Intermediate Education department director and Telangana Board of Intermediate Education secretary Abhilasha Abhinav announced.

The unique identifier will be introduced from the 2026-27 academic year in accordance with Central government directives. Applicable to all students regardless of college management, the number will serve as a permanent academic reference from pre-primary schooling through higher education, research, and upskilling.

The identifier will store key student information, including name, date of birth, gender, and academic particulars. This data will allow education officials to track students even if they relocate or transfer to institutions outside Telangana. The number may also be printed directly on intermediate marks memos.

Abhilasha Abhinav stated that the identifier would function similarly to an Aadhaar number, helping officials pinpoint whether a student has discontinued their studies. The measure addresses growing concerns over retention rates in government junior colleges, where second-year enrollment dropped by about 17,000 students in 2025-26 despite an increase in first-year admissions.

Abhilasha noted that student dropouts reflect a broader nationwide pattern, as learners frequently enroll and subsequently transition to alternative courses. TG BIE expects to have exact enrollment figures for the ongoing academic year finalized by November during the examination fee collection process.

Alongside the announcement, TG BIE extended the intermediate admission deadline to September 7, advising parents and students to complete the enrollment process in affiliated junior colleges.