You can carry your Aadhaar on your smartphone!
Aadhaar is a valid ID proof for every Indian citizen today and is even mandatory for many schemes. But did you know you could use it in digital form too? The mobile app called mAadhaar allows one to carry their Aadhaar card digitally. You can use it even while entering airports or travelling by railways. Here's all you need to know about it.
What is the m-Aadhaar app?
The mAadhaar app carries all your demographic details as stored in the Aadhaar database, like name, birth date and address along with your photograph. Your mobile number must be registered with Aadhaar to use the app. Information is protected by a biometric lock/unlock feature and passwords. You can use a Time-bound OTP instead of SMS-based OTP. For now, mAadhaar is only available on Android.
How to use the app
When you open the app for the first time, it will ask you to enter a password. It has to be 8-12 characters long combining digits, alphabets and special characters. Once your device receives an OTP, the app will automatically detect it. If other family members have the same registered mobile number, those profiles (maximum three) can be linked to the same device.
Make sure you take care of these conditions
Remember that the mAadhaar app can be downloaded only on the mobile number which has been registered with UIDAI. At any time, one profile can be active on only one device. If you create the same profile on another device by shifting the SIM to it, the profile on the previous device would become inactive. The app needs reliable internet connection to work properly.
Is there any risk involved?
At the start, many users reported errors and listed complaints on the Play Store about bugs. Concerns related to mass surveillance were also raised. However, IUIDAI has assured such worries are uncalled for and mAadhaar is fully safe and secure.
