Unique Identification Authority of India
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Reference: http://uidai.gov.in/
What is Aadhaar?
- Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique number
which the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will issue
for all residents. The number will be stored in a centralised database
and linked to the basic demographics and biometric information –
photograph, ten fingerprints and iris – of each individual. The details
of the data fields and verification procedures are available here.
Aadhaar will be:
- Easily verifiable in an online, cost-effective way
- Unique and robust enough to eliminate the large number of duplicate and fake identities in government and private databases
- A random number generated, devoid of any classification based on caste, creed, religion and geography
Why Aadhaar?
Aadhaar-based identification will have two unique features:
-
Universality,
which is ensured because Aadhaar will over time be recognised and
accepted across the country and across all service providers.
- Every resident's entitlement to the number.
- The
number will consequently form the basic, universal identity
infrastructure over which Registrars and Agencies across the country can
build their identity-based applications.
- Unique
Identification of India (UIDAI) will build partnerships with various
Registrars across the country to enrol residents for the number. Such
Registrars may include state governments, state Public Sector Units
(PSUs), banks, telecom companies, etc. These Registrars may in turn
partner with enrolling agencies to enrol residents into Aadhaar.
- Aadhaar
will ensure increased trust between public and private agencies and
residents. Once residents enrol for Aadhaar, service providers will no
longer face the problem of performing repeated Know Your Customer (KYC)
checks before providing services. They would no longer have to deny
services to residents without identification documents. Residents would
also be spared the trouble of repeatedly proving identity through
documents each time they wish to access services such as obtaining a
bank account, passport, or driving license etc.
- By
providing a clear proof of identity, Aadhaar will empower poor and
underprivileged residents in accessing services such as the formal
banking system and give them the opportunity to easily avail various
other services provided by the Government and the private sector. The
centralised technology infrastructure of the UIDAI will enable 'anytime,
anywhere, anyhow' authentication. Aadhaar will thus give migrants
mobility of identity. Aadhaar authentication can be done both offline
and online, online authentication through a cell phone or land line
connection will allow residents to verify their identity remotely.
Remotely, online Aadhaar-linked identity verification will give poor and
rural residents the same flexibility that urban non-poor residents
presently have in verifying their identity and accessing services such
as banking and retail. Aadhaar will also demand proper verification
prior to enrolment, while ensuring inclusion. Existing identity
databases in India are fraught with problems of fraud and duplicate or
ghost beneficiaries. To prevent these problems from seeping into the
Aadhaar database, the UIDAI plans to enrol residents into its database
with proper verification of their demographic and biometric information.
This will ensure that the data collected is clean from the beginning of
the program. However, much of the poor and under-privileged population
lack identity documents and Aadhaar may be the first form of
identification they will have access to. The UIDAI will ensure that its
Know Your Resident (KYR) standards do not become a barrier for enrolling
the poor and has accordingly developed an Introducer system for
residents who lack documentation. Through this system, authorised
individuals ('Introducers') who already have an Aadhaar, can introduce
residents who don't have any identification documents, enabling them to
receive their Aadhaar.
Who can get an Aadhaar?
An individual who is a resident in India and satisfies the verification process laid down by the UIDAI can get an Aadhaar.
How to get an Aadhaar?
The
process to get an Aadhaar will be circulated by the local media upon
which residents need to go to the nearest Enrolment Camp to register for
an Aadhaar. The resident primarily needs to carry certain documents
which will be specified in the media advertisement.
Upon
registering for Aadhaar, residents will go through a biometric scanning
of ten fingerprints and iris. They will then be photographed and given
an enrolment number upon completion. Depending on the enrolment agency,
residents will be issued an Aadhaar number within 20 to 30 days.
Stages of Enrolment
See the below photos from Left to Right --> which illustrates the stages of Aadhaar enrolment process
Contact Centre Details:
The
UIDAI will set up a Contact Centre to manage all queries and grievances
and serve as a single point of contact for the organization. The
details of the Contact Centre will be published on the website as and
when enrolment begins.
- The users of this system are expected to be residents, registrars and enrolment agencies.
- Any
resident seeking enrolment is given a printed acknowledgement form with
an Enrolment Number, that enables the resident to make queries about
her/his enrolment status through any communication channel of the
contact centre.
- Each
enrolment agency will be given a unique code that will also enable
faster and pointed access to the Contact Centre that includes a
technical helpdesk.
►Voice – 1800-180-1947
►Fax – 080-2353 1947
►Letters – PO Box 1947, GPO Bangalore - 560001
►Email - he...@uidai.gov.in