New rule relieves citizens from the hassle of submitting Aadhaar card xerox in hotels and hospitals

According to a TV9 Gujarati report, a new digital rule has been implemented by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which will relieve citizens from the requirement of submitting physical xerox copies of their Aadhaar cards for services such as hotel check-in, hospital admission, or providing identification for a new job. UIDAI has taken this step to make the digital verification system in the country simple, secure, and completely paperless.

UIDAI has recently integrated more than 300 new entities and companies with its offline verification system. Approximately 300 entities, including those from the hospitality, healthcare, education, events, delivery, and gig economy sectors like ride-sharing, have been registered. These registered entities are known as Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs).

The main objective of this new rule is to eliminate the need to submit physical paper documents and to promote digital and consent-based verification. This reduces paperwork, saves time in filling out forms, and eliminates the risk of misuse of Aadhaar card xerox copies. This entire process takes place through the Aadhaar app, which allows users to maintain complete control over their privacy.

Users can decide through the app which information to share with the service provider, choosing between full details or only necessary information such as name and photograph. The 12-digit unique identification number, i.e., the Aadhaar number, is not shared with the verifying organization. Verifying entities do not need to connect directly with UIDAI's central database, which reduces the risk of data theft.

Downloads of the Aadhaar app have crossed 7.5 crore or 75 million. More than 86 lakh or 8.6 million users have updated their registered mobile numbers directly through the app without visiting an Aadhaar center. Users have used the biometric lock/unlock feature 4.6 crore or 46 million times to protect fingerprints and iris scans from misuse.

UIDAI has clarified that these updates fully comply with the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act. The DPDP Act mandates that citizen data be collected only with explicit consent and strictly for necessary purposes.