Followers of news from India and anyone interested in the issue of secure identification in today’s world will be aware of how the Aadhaar biometric identification system has been rolled out across India at an ever-increasing rate since it was first launched in 2009. The central ideas behind Aadhaar are, first, to create a secure biometric means of establishing one’s identity and, second, to use that secure biometric identification system as a condition of accessing government services throughout India. The vast project of getting Indian citizens to register for Aadhaar has now gathered pace to the extent that one million new identification numbers are being issued each day. While this ambitious project is attracting much praise, as with any major process of implementing change, important moral and social questions have arisen alongside purely technical ones. For the most part, these questions lie in the balance between secure access to public services on the one hand, and privacy and the defense of individual human rights on the other. Let’s take a closer look at some of the issues involved.
Identity and Efficiency
Critics of the Aadhaar identification system maintain that it limits the exercise of fundamental rights while also threatening privacy. The fear is that, by making 
biometric identification a required precondition for accessing essential state services, the roll-out of the Aadhaar card might expose large numbers of people to greater poverty and disenfranchisement. Proponents of the Aadhaar system, on the other hand, point out that secure biometric identification methods not only enable the streamlining of service provision across such a complex and populous country as India but also provide the best-known means of combating fraudulent claims while at the same time avoiding unintentional duplication and waste. In brief, defenders of the whole Aadhaar project maintain that only the provision of a secure means of establishing identity can make sure that essential public benefits and assistance are reliably delivered to the people who need them instead of being diminished through inefficiency and fraud. The World Bank seems to be in agreement with this latter viewpoint, since it finds that, by cutting down on fraud and inefficiency of delivery, Aadhaar is enabling India to make annual savings of approximately one billion US dollars.
Why Is Aadhaar Important for India’s Future?
Nandan Nilekani, the first chairperson of the body that oversees the implementation of the Aadhaar system, the Unique Identification Authority of India, acknowledges that there have been some problems along the way. However, he insists robustly on the overall benefits that Aadhaar has brought to the country. Nilekani also maintains that already-existing legal penalties should be sufficient to deter such abuses as the wrongful disclosure of data. India’s Attorney General, Mukul Rohatgi, has also defended the Aadhaar biometric identification system in the strongest terms. According to Rohatgi, Aadhaar is quite simply indispensable to allow administrators to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of social and economic change in India today.
So, for now, the debate remains unsolved. Processes of this magnitude cannot but awaken profound public discourse, and this in itself is one of the great advantages of progress and change.
Recent News: following this post I gave an interview for Noobpreneur.com magazine in a piece about Microfinance and Aadhaar card. Check it out here.
Debates about the Aadhaar identity system: A… by sharone-perlstein
I think the implementation the Aadhaar system will be beneficial more than detrimental to the people of India. Invasion of privacy is always something to look at when dealing biometric solutions. However, the ease of life during these ever-changing, ever-evolving times, is proof enough that the Aadhaar system would a great addition to not just India, but the entire world.
1. 25 lakh families in Rajasthan are unable to withdraw ration even after seeding #AADHAARFAIL with their ration card. 2. #AADHAAR authentication does not work for half billion Indians. 3. AADHAAR authentication does not work most of the time 4. AADHAAR bio-metrics can be stolen, printed and used for #AADHAAR pay 5. #AADHAAR does not work for NRIs, people outside India 6. AADHAR can not be generated if a person’s fingerprint matches with someone else’s with 60 percentage probability. 7. Rogue government can deactivate your #AADHAAR blocking your gas, electricity, mobile, bank account 8. AADHAAR works for millions of illegals staying in India 9. AADHAAR is blocking subsidies for millions of legitimate people 10. Take 10 lakh insurance for each #AADHAAR failure case or delete aadhaar bio-metrics from aadhaar database, archive and deactivate #AADHAAR. Jai Hind.
Thank you for the information about Aadhaar identification system. It is very helpful for the people.
The Aadhar Card and the Debates It Has Inspired
Is it true, how is it?
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Pointing out that national security is important, he said that even in cases of national security, a high-level mechanism has been put in place whereby a designated officer of the Home Ministry shall for reasons to be recorded in writing certify disclosure of a person’s Aadhaar data.
1. 25 lakh families in Rajasthan are unable to withdraw ration even after seeding #AADHAARFAIL with their ration card. 2. #AADHAAR authentication does not work for half billion Indians. 3. AADHAAR authentication does not work most of the time 4. AADHAAR bio-metrics can be stolen, printed and used for #AADHAAR pay 5. #AADHAAR does not work for NRIs, people outside India 6. AADHAR can not be generated if a person’s fingerprint matches with someone else’s with 60 percentage probability. 7. Rogue government can deactivate your #AADHAAR blocking your gas, electricity, mobile, bank account 8. AADHAAR works for millions of illegals staying in India 9. AADHAAR is blocking subsidies for millions of legitimate people 10. Take 10 lakh insurance for each #AADHAAR failure case or delete aadhaar bio-metrics from aadhaar database, archive and deactivate #AADHAAR. Jai Hind.
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i concur. adhaar can assume an essential part if each indian has it. singular security must not endure by any stretch of the imagination. require more extensive perspectives, arranges and connected to different personalities as well.
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Interesting article, indeed. I’ve heard about that but it was still a bit confusing. Thanks for lighting me up. As interesting and useful as it seems, let’s hope there won’t be any… drifting.
I dont think india should be allowed to subjugate its people like this
This biometic identifying system is highly improved and expand in all over the globe. and India has is one of the leading.
such a great article about adhaar card. iam also from india. Aadhaar is quite simply indispensable to allow administrators to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of social and economic change in India today.
This article is very useful and very interesting to know about Aadhaar Card and Its uses. it is needed for India’s development.
Great content and enlightening reads!
I’m from India and I know how important is Aadhaar Card for every citizen of India.Your content and information provided is very useful for the ones who did not know much about Aadhaar Card.Even a person now a days in India, cannot get a new sim card for his phone with out his Aadhaar card number.It clearly says how it is impacting lifes of Indian citizen.Aadhaar card is a good addition to us and thanks for the helpful article about it.
It’s one of great article for microfinance I’ve ever seen.Thank you for share with us this awesome idea.
Thanks for the information about Aadhaar card .Its good for the future of India and will be helping to be a developed country in the future
The Aadhaar system sounds like it will keep India more secure. I think it will help the people of India in the long run. The more people that see this article will be able to give their opinions and thoughts.
1. 25 lakh families in Rajasthan are unable to withdraw ration even after seeding #AADHAARFAIL with their ration card. 2. #AADHAAR authentication does not work for half billion Indians. 3. AADHAAR authentication does not work most of the time 4. AADHAAR bio-metrics can be stolen, printed and used for #AADHAAR pay 5. #AADHAAR does not work for NRIs, people outside India 6. AADHAR can not be generated if a person’s fingerprint matches with someone else’s with 60 percentage probability. 7. Rogue government can deactivate your #AADHAAR blocking your gas, electricity, mobile, bank account 8. AADHAAR works for millions of illegals staying in India 9. AADHAAR is blocking subsidies for millions of legitimate people 10. Take 10 lakh insurance for each #AADHAAR failure case or delete aadhaar bio-metrics from aadhaar database, archive and deactivate #AADHAAR. Jai Hind.
Aadhaar biometric identification system is great process in advancement and development of India. It helps to decrease illegal and fraudulent activities. It will provide us better results in future.
Interesting article, indeed. I’ve heard about that but it was still a bit confusing. Thanks for lighting me up. As interesting and useful.
1. 25 lakh families in Rajasthan are unable to withdraw ration even after seeding #AADHAARFAIL with their ration card. 2. #AADHAAR authentication does not work for half billion Indians. 3. AADHAAR authentication does not work even after one updates his/her biometrics 4. AADHAAR bio-metrics can be stolen, printed and used for #AADHAAR pay 5. #AADHAAR does not work for NRIs, people outside India 6. AADHAR can not be generated if a person’s fingerprint matches with someone else’s with 60 percentage probability. 7. Rogue government can deactivate your #AADHAAR blocking your gas, electricity, mobile, bank account 8. AADHAAR works for millions of illegals staying in India 9. AADHAAR is blocking subsidies for millions of legitimate people 10. Take 10 lakh insurance for each #AADHAAR failure case or delete aadhaar bio-metrics from aadhaar database, archive and deactivate #AADHAAR. Jai Hind.
Great to know about the aadhaar card. Very Informative and great article.
I think the implementation the Aadhaar system will be beneficial more than detrimental to the people of India. Invasion of privacy is always something to look at when dealing biometric solutions. However, the ease of life during these ever-changing, ever-evolving times, is proof enough that the Aadhaar system would a great addition to not just India, but the entire world.
I read carefully about the Aadhaar system.
Interesting and useful information.
Thank you for producing a ‘quality’ Article (finally!). I look forward to it everyday!
this article is very interesting. Look forward to reading more
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This system has its good points, as well as its bad points. It is, of course, helpful in the way of making it easier to track and prevent criminals from infiltrating government buildings and operating systems, and basically help prevent crime occurring in general. But on other hand, it puts the government in the people face at all times. There would be no privacy and nothing sacred to the people any longer. So as it would absolutely help, it will also in one way or another, absolutely hurt.
Thanks for providing such good information about The Aadhaar Card, it’s very useful for people in India.
Good job.
Wow this was so informative! I honestly have mixed feelings about the Aadhaar Card. On one hand I feel that it would be fantastic and very beneficial for people in India but on the other hand, it might be an invasion of one’s privacy. Come to think about it though, our privacy is being invaded on daily basis online and on our phones. No one’s life is “private” anymore. So hey, what’s the harm right?
Thanks for teaching to me
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Very good article indeed. I think it will help the people in the long run. Thanks for sharing.