UIDAI: Unique Identification Authority of India

The Unique Identification Authority of India, widely known as UIDAI, is a statutory authority established by the Government of India under the provisions of the Aadhaar Act of 2016. Initially part of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), UIDAI was later positioned under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to enhance its regulatory operations.

Vision

UIDAI aims to empower every citizen of India with a unique identity, offering a digital platform for authentication accessible any time and anywhere.

Mission

UIDAI's mission focuses on delivering good governance characterized by efficiency and transparency to the citizens of India through unique identity numbers. Key objectives include:

Promoting good governance by efficiently providing benefits and services through unique identity numbers.
Developing policies, procedures, and systems for issuing Aadhaar numbers based on demographic and biometric enrollment.
Ensuring the technology infrastructure's availability, scalability, and resilience.
Developing systems for Aadhaar users to update and authenticate their digital identity effectively.
Establishing a sustainable association to propagate UIDAI values.
Ensuring Aadhaar Act compliance among individuals and agencies.
Upholding the security and confidentiality of individual identity and authentication records.
Formulating consistent rules with the Aadhaar Act to execute its provisions.

UIDAI and Aadhaar Identification

UIDAI’s primary mandate is providing each Indian citizen with a unique identification number, realized through the Aadhaar program. This 12-digit unique identity number aims to prevent fake or duplicate identities, promoting a robust system that combats fraud through cost-effective verification.

According to the Aadhaar Act of 2016, UIDAI is the sole authority overseeing:

Aadhaar Enrollment
Aadhaar Authentication
Operation and management of the Aadhaar life-cycle
Development of Aadhaar policy
Systems for Aadhaar number issuance
Security of identity information and authentication records

Functions

The Indian government aims to integrate individual identity cards and accounts, such as Driving License, Voter's ID, PAN, and Passport, with Aadhaar. This integration extends to mobile numbers and bank accounts. Linking PAN and bank accounts with Aadhaar is mandatory, as highlighted in PAN-Aadhaar linking guidelines. UIDAI facilitates numerous Aadhaar-related services online and offline, including detail updates, data corrections, and request status reviews. Offline services are available through enrollment centers.

System Procedures

The UIDAI employs two main procedures within its system:

Enrolment & Update
Authentication

Enrolment & Update

Enrolment involves Registrars authorized by UIDAI to enroll individuals, with Enrolment Agencies appointed to gather demographic and biometric data. These agencies partner with Registrars to set up enrollment centers where individuals can update their Aadhaar details.

Authentication

For instant authentication, UIDAI provides a scalable system managed by appointed Authentication Service Agencies (ASAs) and Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) across government and private sectors. This ecosystem can handle millions of authentication requests daily.

Grievances

UIDAI addresses grievances through several channels:

UIDAI Contact Centre

The UIDAI Contact Centre assists with Aadhaar enrollment, updates, and other services. At enrollment centers, individuals receive an acknowledgement for queries or complaints, which they can track using the reference ID.

UIDAI Public Grievance Portal

Grievances are processed through the UIDAI Public Grievance Portal, then routed online to relevant authorities, such as the Directorate of Public Grievances (DPG) or Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG).

E-mail

UIDAI officials also respond to grievances received via email, addressing issues directly with complainants while keeping the grievance cell informed.

Post

Individuals may send grievances by post to UIDAI Headquarters or Regional Offices. The Public Grievance Officer then contacts the concerned department for resolution.

Back to Learn

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UIDAI.

The primary objective of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is to issue unique identification numbers, known as Aadhaar, to all residents of India. The Aadhaar serves as a robust and cost-efficient system for verifying and authenticating individuals, curbing fraudulent activities arising from duplicate or fake identities.

The enrolment process involves Registrars and Enrolment Agencies authorized by UIDAI. Individuals visit enrolment centres set up by these agencies, where certified operators collect their demographic and biometric information using fingerprint scanners, iris cameras, and other certified equipment connected to UIDAI's API.

UIDAI has set up a scalable authentication procedure involving Authentication Service Agencies (ASAs) and Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) from government and non-government organizations. The Aadhaar ecosystem can manage millions of authentications daily and can be scaled up further as per demand.

Individuals can raise grievances or queries through various channels like the UIDAI Contact Centre, Public Grievance Portal, emails, and postal correspondence to UIDAI headquarters or regional offices. Grievances are reviewed and addressed by concerned officers who directly contact the complainant.

The key functions of UIDAI include Aadhaar enrolment, authentication, operation and management of the Aadhaar life-cycle, developing Aadhaar policies and procedures, ensuring the security of identity information and authentication records, and ensuring compliance with the Aadhaar Act.

The vision of UIDAI is to empower the citizens of India with a unique identity and a digital platform to authenticate themselves anytime and anywhere, enabling good governance, efficiency, and transparency.

UIDAI has taken measures to ensure the security and confidentiality of individuals' identity and authentication information and records. It has developed policies and procedures to safeguard the data and ensure compliance with the Aadhaar Act by all individuals and agencies.

The Government of India aims to link all identity cards (such as driving licenses, voter IDs, PAN cards, and passports) and accounts (like mobile numbers and bank accounts) to an individual's Aadhaar number in a phased manner. This integration helps eliminate fraudulent activities and ensures a robust identity verification system.

The mission of UIDAI includes offering good governance, efficiency, and transparency to Indian citizens by providing them with unique identity numbers and digital authentication platforms. It also aims to develop policies, procedures, and systems for Aadhaar issuance, updation, and authentication while ensuring compliance with the Aadhaar Act.

Individuals can visit an enrolment centre with necessary documents to update or correct their Aadhaar details. UIDAI also offers online platforms where registered individuals can review the status of their requests, update details, and correct data related to their Aadhaar.