UIDAI – The Unique Identification Authority of India is a government body. UIDAI is created to issue Unique Identification Numbers UID), which is also known as ‘Aadhaar number’ to all the residents of India. The UIDAI is responsible for Aadhaar enrolment and authentication. It shall also be responsible for operation management for the Aadhar allotments, developing policies, processes and systems for the issue of the Aadhar number, and adhering to strict security of the identity of the individuals. The first Aadhar number was issued in September 2010 to a resident of Maharashtra. The Authority has issued more than Rs 124 crore Aadhaar numbers to the residents across India.
Latest UIDAI News
27 May 2022: The government issued an advisory asking people to share masked Aadhaar copies instead of sharing the original Aadhaar card or their photocopies.
30 November 2021: Government Introduces Unique Face Recognition Tech for Pensioners
July 13th 2021: Delhi HC seeks UIDAI, Centre’s response on issuance of new Aadhaar number to existing card holders
UIDAI Introduces a New Service: Order Aadhaar Card
May 15th 2021: UIDAI clarified that the Aadhaar number not compulsory to avail Covid treatment or vaccine.
Background of UIDAI
UIDAI is a statutory authority established under the Aadhaar Act, 2016 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Full form of UIDAI: | Unique Identification Authority of India |
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Establishing Date: | 12 July 2016 |
Under Ministry: | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) |
CEO of UIDAI: | Shri Pankaj Kumar |
UIDAI Headquarters: | Delhi |
UIDAI and Aadhaar
It is the brainchild of Sir Nandan Nilekani, who had the vision to deliver
a unique identification number to each Indian, which would eliminate duplicate/fake identities cost-effectively. The government introduced Aadhaar, which also supports verification and authentication. The Unique Identification Authority of India was created to issue Unique Identification Numbers (UID) under Aadhaar to all the residents of India, besides other responsibilities mentioned above.
Services provided by UIDAI
In an ongoing process of linking all the identity cards (driving license, PAN, voter ID, passport) and accounts (bank accounts, mobile numbers, etc.) with Aadhaar, the government is mandating the linkage in a phased manner. Currently, it is mandatory to link the PAN and the bank account with the Aadhaar. The UIDAI provides services relating to Aadhar online as well as offline. The services range from updating the details of the registered person to correcting data and checking the status of requisitions raised. For availing these services offline, one may visit an enrolment centre with the required documents and have their issues resolved.
m-Aadhaar
The UIDAI has released a new app for android and IOS users to enable Aadhaar holders to download their Aadhaar card on mobile phones and keep it handy. The app is known as the mAadhaar app. The app allows you to do the following:
- Profile creation: The Aadhaar profile can only be created if you have a registered mobile number
- You can lock and unlock your biometrics information
- Virtual ID generation
Let’s look at the steps on how to create a profile in this app?
- Input your 12-digit Aadhaar number.
- Ensure that your mobile connection is active, key in the details and click on verify.
- Enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile number, and your profile will be created.
The mAadhaar app also provides the following benefits:
- Aadhaar holders can easily lock and unlock their biometrics identification services anytime.
- A holder can share his eKYC through message or email directly.
- One can now use the time-based OTP facility of the mAadhaar app, which will be valid for only 30 seconds.
- This app allows the users to share the details using the QR code, preventing any data leakage.
- A holder can order a newly printed Aadhar card from the mAadhaar app by providing aadhaar details for the verification process and making a payment.
Role of UIDAI
In addition to the services offered, the UIDAI plays a vital role in ensuring confidentiality, good governance, and developing methods to provide a more robust system. Some places where the UIDAI plays an important role are:
- To develop policy, procedure and system for issuing Aadhaar numbers to individuals who request the same by submitting their demographic information and biometric information by undergoing a process of enrolment.
- To ensure availability, scalability and resilience of the technology infrastructure.
- To ensure the security and confidentiality of individuals’ identity, information, and authentication records.
- To ensure compliance with Aadhaar Act by all individuals and agencies.
- To make regulations and rules consistent with the Aadhaar Act, for carrying out the provisions of the Aadhaar Act.
UIDAI Ecosystem
At the core of the system, the UIDAI has two procedures:
- Enrolment and Update
The enrolment procedure consists of registrars and enrolment agencies. In coordination with the registrars, the enrolment agencies set up enrolment centres where residents can enrol for Aadhar. Multiple fingerprint scanners, iris scanners, and cameras certified by the UIDAI are set up and connected to the UIDAI-designed standard Application Programming Interface (API). A registrar is an entity authorised or recognised by UIDAI to enrol individuals. Enrolment agencies are appointed by registrars and are responsible for collecting demographic and biometric information of individuals during the enrolment process by engaging certified operators/supervisors.
- Authentication
The UIDAI has set up a scalable procedure for instant authentication of residents. The Aadhar authentication ecosystem can handle tens of millions of authentications daily and can be scaled further as per demand. The Unique Identification Authority of India has appointed several Authentication Service Agencies (ASAs) and Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) from various governments and non-government organisations.
Organisational Structure of UIDAI
The DDGs are assisted by Assistant Directors General (ADGs), Deputy Directors, Section Officers and Assistant Section Officers. The HQ has a total sanctioned strength of 127 officers and staff members, including the accounts and IT branches. Each regional office is headed by a Deputy Director General (DDG). The support structure comprises assistant director general, deputy director, section officers, assistant section officers, senior accounts officer, accountant and personal staff.
Grievances Redressal of UIDAI
Grievances at UIDAI are received through the following modes:
- UIDAI Contact Centre
UIDAI has set up a Contact Centre for handling queries and grievances related to Aadhaar enrolment, updation and other services. When a resident approaches an enrolment centre, the operator gives a printed acknowledgement for registering the complaint. The resident can further follow up on the status updates by quoting the number from the acknowledgement slip. - Post
Residents have an option to post their grievances to the headquarter or regional offices of the Unique Identification Authority of India. The grievances are examined and then forwarded in hardcopy to the concerned officer/public grievance officer at UIDAI. The concerned regional office/concerned section disposes of the grievance by replying directly to the complainant under intimation to the grievance cell, UIDAI. - Public Grievance Portal Of The Government Of India
Grievances are received by the Unique Identification Authority of India through the public grievance portal – pgportal.gov.in.- DPG (Directorate of public grievances)
- DARPG (Department of Administrative reforms & Public Grievances)
- Parent Organisation
- Direct receipts
- President’s Secretariat
- Pension
- Minister’s office
- P.M.’s Office
The grievances are examined and then forwarded online to the concerned officer.
- Email
Many times, the grievance is received through emails by the UIDAI officials. These emails are examined and forwarded to the concerned officers. The involved officer disposes of the grievance by replying to the complainant over email under intimation to the grievance cell.
Latest updates of UIDAI- Masked Aadhaar
The use of Aadhaar has increased over the past few years and we use it for multiple cases and rather casually. With fraudulent practices on the rise, we need to be careful and cautious about whom we share our Aadhaar number/card with and how we share them. Our Aadhaar numbers can be used to steal personal information. To add another layer of security and protect all your sensitive and personal information that is linked to your Aadhaar, UIDAI issues Masked Aadhaar.
A Masked Aadhaar reveals only the last four digits and hides or masks the first eight digits of your Aadhaar number. The Masked Aadhaar were being issued since the last 5 years but not many were aware of it. UIDAI recently issued an advisory to increase awareness amongst people and promotethe use of Masked Aadhaar.
How to download a Masked Aadhaar?
- Visit myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in and ‘Login’.
- Login using your 12-digit Aadhaar number by doing an OTP verification.
- Click on ‘Download Aadhaar’ under the ‘Services’ section
- Select the option ‘Do you want a masked Aadhaar?’ and click on ‘Download’
- Your masked Aadhaar will now be downloaded successfully in a password protected PDF format.
- The password shall be the first four letters of your name (as per Aadhaar) in CAPITAL letters and your year of birth in YYYY format.
UIDAI Regional Offices
Office by Region | State or Union Territories covered |
Mumbai | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu |
Delhi | Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan |
Bengaluru | Kerala, Tamil Naidu, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and Karnataka |
Chandigarh | Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh |
Guwahati | Tripura and Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam |
Hyderabad | Andaman and Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh |
Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do’s and Don’ts for Filling up Aadhaar update Form
- The form must be filled using only capital letters
- Fill in all the fields for updating
- Mobile number is compulsory for any updates to take place
- Fill out the form in English and the local language used at the time of Adhar enrolment
- Names must not have salutations such as Mr / Mrs / Ms / Dr
- Make sure that the full and complete address as the Aadhar card will be dispatched to that address
- Enter name clearly with signature or thumbprints when self-attesting supporting documents
- Attach relevant documents that support the required update only
- Incorrect information and lack of support documents will cause the application to be rejected
What to do if you lose your UIDAI Aadhaar card?
If you have lost/misplaced your Adhaar card. Not to worry. You can get a duplicate Aadhar card by downloading the PDF/ e-Aadhaar online by visiting the UIDAI website and accessing Adhar online services.
For how long is the Aadhar card valid?
The Aadhaar card/number is valid for life.
Can the UIDAI Aadhaar card be made online?
No, Adhar enrolment is a one-time physical procedure that can be done at any Aadhaar enrolment centre. To find the Aadhar enrolment centre near you, visit the UIDAI website and search for the Aadhaar enrolment centre.
What is the purpose of having an Aadhaar Card?
Aadhaar is a unique identification number that enables each resident of India with the following:
- Proof of Identity
- Proof of Address
- Access to Government Subsidy
- Eligibility to open and operate Bank Accounts
- Income Tax – Adhaar is a mandatory requirement for processing and filing income tax returns
- Phone Connection
- Gas Connection
- Mutual Fund – Aadhaar Card is beneficial to complete e-KYC for mutual fund investments
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