UIDAI expands Aadhaar offline verification ecosystem by onboarding 300 entities

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has onboarded 300 Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs) following its rollout in January. According to PIB, this step has been taken to extend the use of Aadhaar-based offline verification across hospitality, hotels, healthcare, education, events, the gig economy, and consumer-centric sectors.

This initiative enables a secure, consent-based, and paperless verification process, which will empower both service providers and residents. The onboarding of these OVSE partners reflects growing trust in a privacy-first digital verification framework that prioritises data minimisation and user control in accordance with the provisions of the DPDP Act. In this manner, UIDAI is strengthening the digital identity experience for both organisations and residents.

Simultaneously, there has been a significant surge in the popularity of the Aadhaar app, which has recorded approximately 7.5 crore downloads so far. The app has emerged as a primary digital interface between UIDAI and residents, allowing Aadhaar holders to access various services directly via smartphones. Through the use of the app, residents have updated their details without needing to make physical visits to centres.

According to statistical details, more than 86 lakh people have updated their mobile numbers via the Aadhaar app, with 22.16 lakh address updates and 40.25 lakh email updates performed. In terms of security features, 4.6 crore biometric lock/unlock transactions have been recorded on the app, indicating that people have become more aware of exercising control over the use of their biometrics.

Additionally, 3.61 lakh Aadhaar lock/unlock transactions have also been carried out through the app. The biometric and Aadhaar lock/unlock facilities empower Aadhaar holders to add an extra layer of privacy according to their preference.

All these efforts are aligned with the Government of India's Digital India vision. Its primary objective is to improve the ease of living for citizens by providing secure, accessible, and technology-enabled public services for a developed India.