WHAT IS AADHAR CARD AND AADHAR CARD IMAGE?
Aadhar is a comprehensive identification programme that registers both citizens and non-citizen residents of India. Government of India established a statutory authority in the year 2009 by the name of Unique Identification Authority of India.
The Unique Identification Authority of India was placed under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Later on, in the year 2016, the Aadhaar act was passed. Wherein, the Unique Identification Authority of India was endorsed by this act.
An Aadhar Card contains various information on basis of which the identity of cardholder is established. The data about Aadhaar Cardholder is very detailed in nature. This is necessary because one of the most important problems Aadhaar card was intended to resolve was of duplication of identity cards.
So, the experts thought it was expedient to have two types of information to be collected about Aadhaar Cardholder. Demographic information and Biometric Information.
First is Demographic Information and second is Biometric Information. Demographic Information includes Name of the Aadhaar Cardholder, his/her Date of Birth, Address of the Aadhaar card holder, Contact Number and Email address of the Aadhaar Cardholder etc. while Biometric Information contains three things- (a) Iris Scan, (b) Finger Print and (c) Photo Image.
AADHAAR CARD IMAGE
Aadhaar Card Image is one of the most important patent identification marks. Because, whenever an identity document is placed before a government authority, he reflexively matches the photo image on the document with the face of the identity cardholder.
This makes Aadhaar Card Image important biometric information.
HOW CAN I SEE MY AADHAAR CARD DETAILS?
An electronic copy of Aadhaar Card can be downloaded from UIDAI website (link provided in reference No.1). it comes in form of a PDF file, protected by a password.
The password is alphanumeric, with first four letters of the name in the capital and four digits of the year of birth of cardholder.
CAN I CHANGE PHOTO IN AADHAAR CARD ONLINE?
Aadhaar Card Photo Change Online is not possible. Biometric details in Aadhaar Card cannot be altered solo by the cardholder. As discussed earlier, Aadhaar Card Image is one of the three biometric information contained in Aadhaar Card data. Hence instead of Aadhaar Card Photo Change Online, one should visit Aadhaar Enrolment Centre.
HOW CAN I UPDATE PHOTO IN AADHAAR CARD?
To Update Photo in Aadhaar Card, it is necessary that the applicant should visit Aadhaar Card Enrolment Centre.
This is so because the update of Aadhaar Card Image entails changes in Biometric Data. Biometric data is very sensitive in nature and its authenticity needs to be endorsed by the Aadhaar Enrolment Centre Executive.
First of all, locate nearest Aadhaar Enrolment Centre with the help of UIDAI website (link provided in reference No.2). Aadhaar Card Image updating need arises for various reasons.
When children attain the age of 5 years or 15 years their Aadhaar Card Image should be updated. For adults, Aadhar card Image should be updated every 10 years. At Aadhaar Card Enrolment centre, the executive will get Aadhaar Update Form filled and get biometric verification. Thereafter the executive will Update photo in Aadhaar Card.
IS IT NECESSARY TO CHANGE PHOTO IN AADHAAR?
Aadhaar Card Image is important biometric information. Many times, it so happens that facial appearance undergoes substantial change due to accident, disease or other surgery.
Under such circumstances, the Aadhaar Card Image should be updated. Even with the passage of time, facial expression changes.
In the case of children, when they attain the age of 5 years or 15 years the Aadhaar card Image should be Updated. In the case of adults, the Aadhaar card Image should be updated every 10 years. Aadhaar Enrolment/ Correction/ Update form can be downloaded from UIDAI website (link provided in reference No.3).
HOW CAN I CORRECT MY AADHAAR CARD ONLINE?
There are two types of information in the Aadhaar database. First is Demographic Information and second is Biometric Information.
Demographic Information contains Name, Father’s Name, Gender, Date of Birth, Postal Address, Email Address, Cellphone Contact and Information Sharing Consent. Correction can be done at Aadhaar Enrolment Centre or Online through UIDAI website (link provided in reference No.4).
Biometric Information contains Aadhaar Card Image, Finger Print Scan and Retina Scan. To Update Photo in Aadhaar Card or update other biometric information, the applicant should visit Aadhaar Enrolment Centre and undergo the process given above.
HOW CAN I GET MY AADHAR CARD ONLINE?
An electronic copy of Aadhaar Card can be downloaded from UIDAI website (link provided in reference No.1). Electronic Copy comes in form of a PDF file. It is protected by a password.
The password is alphanumeric, with first four letters of the name in the capital and four digits of the year of birth of cardholder. The Aadhaar card can be downloaded with the help of 12-digit Aadhaar Number or 14-digit Enrolment ID (EID) or 16-digit Virtual ID (VID).
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO UPDATE THE PHOTO IN AADHAAR CARD?
It takes up to 90 days for updates to take effect. In practice, it is observed that it takes one to two weeks for updates to get the approval of UIDAI authorities.
But there can be no fixed schedule because it all depends on the number of pending applications at any given point of time.
The Aadhaar Cardholder who has applied for Update of Photo in Aadhaar Card should regularly keep checking the status of an update on UIDAI website (link given in reference No.5) as the updating can be complete well before the maximum 90 day period.
CAN I APPLY FOR AADHAAR CARD ONLINE?
It is necessary to visit a permanent Aadhaar Enrolment Centre for a fresh application of Aadhaar card. The reason being, at the time of fresh application for Aadhaar Card, both Demographic and Biometric information is collected.
The Aadhaar Enrolment Centre Executive verifies the original documents which are uploaded in support of POI (Proof of Identity), POA (Proof of Address), POR (Proof of Relationship) and DOB (date of Birth). After that, Facial Image, Finger Print Scan and Iris Scan of the applicant are to be recorded for biometric Information. Obviously, this cannot be done without visiting the Aadhaar Enrolment Centre.
REFERENCES
- Electronic Aadhar download link: https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/#/
- Aadhar Enrolment Centre Locator link: https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/EACenterSearch.aspx?value=2
- Aadhar Enrolment/ Correction/ Update form link: https://uidai.gov.in/images/aadhaar_enrolment_correction_form_version_2.1.pdf
- Aadhaar Correction Online link: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/
- Check Aadhaar status link: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/check-aadhaar
Article by
Yusuf Afzal Khan