As International Students do not normally have a study permit when they apply, an alternate document must be used until the student presents the official study permit. If the student submits a passport, then the birth date on the passport may be used until the study permit has been submitted.
On the IMM 5292, the IMM 1000 and the Study Permit from Immigration Canada, the date of birth sometimes reads as */*/1957, for example. The Ministry considers this to be 01/01/1957 and it should be recorded as such rather than as what appears on application form, even if another document is available that shows the day and month of birth.