Context: UIDAI is set to launch a QR code-based App to enable Aadhaar updates from home with enhanced verification and data control.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key Features of QR code-based Aadhaar App.
Key Features of the New App
- The QR based app will allow individuals to update their Aadhaar details from their homes.
- Except for biometric updates like fingerprints or iris scans, most changes, including name, address, and mobile number will soon be possible online, using the App equipped with advanced verification protocols.
- Authenticated government databases such as PAN, passport, driving licence, and PDS and MNREGA registries will be used to cross-verify user-submitted information.
- The App enables secure QR code-based Aadhaar sharing offering users control over when and how their data is shared. E.g., while checking in at a hotel, the customers can share a full or masked version of their e-Aadhaar through secure, mobile-to-mobile channels, only with explicit consent.
- The proposed App is expected to go live by the end of 2025.
Why is the QR-based Aadhaar App introduced ?
The QR-based Aadhaar app has been introduced to solve the following existing challenges in the Aadhaar update and usage ecosystem.
- Digital Exclusion of Vulnerable Groups: 1 in 3 users struggled to update Aadhaar, and 20% failed to do so. 30% of homeless people and 27% of third-gender individuals lacked Aadhaar. Barriers include lack of documentation and gender misclassification, leading to denial of services and exclusion from welfare schemes.
- Privacy and Consent Risks: Centralised linking of Aadhaar to multiple services raises data misuse and surveillance concerns.
- Low Awareness and Low Digital Literacy: Aadhaar’s digital features continue to be underutilised. Many users, particularly in rural areas, rely on physical photocopies rather than e-Aadhaar.
Significance of QR-based Aadhaar App:
- Empowers users to control their identity, dictate access, and minimise data exposure.
- Can reduce paperwork and also help prevent the use of forged documents.
The government is also strengthening regulations on privacy, consent, and the responsible use of Aadhaar-linked personal data by amending the Aadhaar Act to align it with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023 with the aim to:
- Provide users greater control over their data by emphasising data minimisation.
- Provide the right to erasure - Users can request deletion of Aadhaar-linked data.
- Prevent Aadhaar data reuse beyond the original purpose without fresh consent.