What is an Aadhaar card, and how does it help?

An Aadhaar card carries a 12-digit unique identification number issued to resident Indians by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on behalf of the Government of India. Your Aadhaar card comes as a proof of identity and address in a single card, making our lives easier.

How is an Aadhaar card issued?

To issue an Aadhaar card, UIDAI collects the biometric information, i.e., fingerprint, photograph, iris scan, and demographic data of residents (residential address) for its database. A 12-digit unique identity number is issued to each resident from this centralised database after verification and processing.

What purpose does an Aadhaar card serve?

In government departments, Aadhaar can work as a sole identification document without the need for multiple documents. It can come in handy for money transfers to beneficiary accounts, underscoring the social benefit schemes of the government. One of the many aims with which Aadhaar was enacted was to end corruption and laundering.

What is an Aadhaar card number?

An Aadhaar number is a 12-digit random number generated and issued by UIDAI. Any resident of India may voluntarily enrol to get this number. The enrolment process is not bound by age and gender criteria and is free of cost. A person has to give basic biometric and demographic information during the process.

What is an Aadhaar card virtual ID?

As a measure to promote data privacy, UIDAI came up with the Aadhaar card virtual ID (VID) concept. It is a 16-digit random number synced with your Aadhaar card, which can be used in place of your Aadhaar number whenever authentication is eKYC, or data authentication is performed. Your Aadhaar number, however, can not be derived from your VID.

What is an Aadhaar card password?

The electronic copy of your Aadhaar card is password protected. This password has eight characters, which is a combination of the first four letters of your name in capital and your year of birth (YYYY). It is required to open the PDF format of your e-Aadhaar card.

What are the benefits of an Aadhaar card?

The advantages of an Aadhaar card are manifold. The Aadhaar card can act as a sole identification document for various purposes. It can also simplify the process of getting direct benefits from government welfare schemes and several other activities. Some of these are:

1. Instant bank account

You can now open a bank account with the help of an Aadhaar card. An Aadhaar serves both as a residence as well as identity proof. You will only need to submit your Aadhaar card at the bank to open an account effortlessly.

2. LPG subsidy

Under the government scheme 'Pahal', your bank account will be directly credited with the LPG subsidy with the help of the Aadhaar card. For this, you will need to link your Aadhaar number to the 17-digit LPG consumer number to avail of the facility.

3. Passport

Your Aadhaar card can also help you get a passport within 10 days. It can serve as a complete identification document for a quick and easy process.

4. Pension

Senior citizens can now get their pensions on time with the help of the Aadhaar card. Through the Aadhaar card, pensioners can get digital life certificates too. This will eliminate the need for their physical presence for receiving the pension.

Additional read: Link aadhaar card to pan card

Taking the whole country under its ambit, the Aadhaar card will soon be an analogue to the US Social Security Number. The central government has allocated benefits of the Aadhaar card to all residents of India regardless of their social and economic status. It aims to provide grants and subsidies to every resident without being partial. The Aadhaar card may be the sole document for facilitating various procedures, making people's lives simpler and convenient.