ஆதார்: இந்தியாவின் டிஜிட்டல் அடையாள அமைப்பு

Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric identification system. Issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), it is a 12-digit number linked to a person's biometrics (fingerprints, iris scans) and demographic data. Over 1.4 billion Aadhaar numbers have been issued — covering more than 99% of adult Indians.

ஆதார் — உலகின் மிகப்பெரிய உயிரியல் அடையாள அமைப்பு. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) வழங்கும் இது, 12 இலக்க எண் — ஒருவரின் உயிரியல் (கைரேகை, விழித்திரை) மற்றும் மக்கள்தொகை தரவுடன் இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. 1.4 பில்லியனுக்கும் அதிகமான ஆதார் எண்கள் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளன — பெரியோர் மக்கள்தொகையில் 99%+.

What Aadhaar is

What Aadhaar is NOT

Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship — it is proof of identity. A foreigner residing in India for more than 182 days could enrol historically. Aadhaar does not by itself confer any rights or benefits — it's a tool to authenticate identity for accessing services. Aadhaar is also not mandatory for most things — the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment limited its compulsory use.

How authentication works

When a service needs to verify your identity, you provide your Aadhaar number. The service sends a request to UIDAI's servers, asking "is this fingerprint, this iris, or this OTP a match for this Aadhaar number?". UIDAI returns only a yes or no — not your data. This is called "authentication". Different levels exist: biometric (fingerprint/iris), OTP (one-time password to registered mobile), and demographic (matching name + DOB).

Linking Aadhaar to services

Aadhaar is the backbone of India's direct benefit transfer (DBT) — government welfare payments are sent directly to bank accounts linked via Aadhaar, eliminating many middlemen and ghost beneficiaries. PAN-Aadhaar linking, mandatory since 2017 for filing income tax returns, has helped clean up tax records. Aadhaar is also accepted as ID for getting a SIM card, opening a bank account, and most KYC processes.

Privacy and security

UIDAI maintains the Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR). Your demographic data and biometrics are stored encrypted; biometrics never leave UIDAI servers. You can lock and unlock your Aadhaar biometrics via the mAadhaar app — preventing anyone from authenticating using your fingerprint until you unlock it. You can also generate a "Virtual ID" (VID) — a temporary number that authenticates the same Aadhaar without revealing the actual number.

Whether you support or critique it, Aadhaar is now embedded in Indian life. Knowing what it actually does — and equally important, what it does not — helps you use it more safely.