Aadhaar is currently the largest document of identification for Indian citizens. It is a 12-digit unique number assigned to Indian citizens, which helps the Indian government to maintain electronic databases of their details. Its authentication is essential to submit these details to the concerned authority for final verification.

Are you wondering about the process of Aadhaar card authentication? This article will help you get a better understanding.

An Aadhaar authentication is a process of verifying Aadhaar details and confirming their authenticity. Aadhaar is the most reliable ID proof in India. Therefore, the best way to verify a person's data and identity is through his/her Aadhaar card. Authentication refers to verifying an individual's demographic details through the correctness of the details submitted to the UIDAI.

UIDAI offers Aadhaar-based authentication services to those who request them. You need to send an authentication request to the concerned authority. The authority will then match the details of the individual as submitted by the applicant with the information available under the CIDR.

The concerned authority can access your Aadhaar details by entering your Aadhaar number or considering your biometrics. The response will be "Yes" if this information matches and "No" if it does not.

If you are planning to conduct Aadhaar authentication online, the following steps will be helpful.

Step 1: Visit the official website of Aadhaar and scan the QR code on your Aadhaar card.

Step 2: Bring the cursor to “My Aadhaar”. Select “Verify an Aadhaar number” from the drop-down list.

Step 3: Enter your Aadhaar number and other demographic details to verify the current data.

You can check the history of updates and authentication to your Aadhaar card online. Here are the steps to do so.

Step 1: Visit the UIDAI website and log in with your credentials. Go to the “Aadhaar Update” section.

Step 2: Click on “Aadhaar Update History”. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number with the security code.

Step 3: Select to send an OTP to your registered number. Enter the OTP.

Step 4: After clicking on “Submit”, the screen will display all authentication updates, including biometric or demographic data.

When it comes to UIDAI authentication of Aadhaar, there are various modes that you can consider. Here are some of these:

Demographic Authentication

This type of authentication includes all the demographic information of the Aadhaar holders. These include your name, address, age, location, gender, date of birth, etc. With this authentication, all your demographic details get linked with your Aadhaar number, which then gets registered under CIDR. The government authorities can access it as required through your Aadhaar number.

Biometric-based Authentication

This is the most important form of authentication, which helps to develop a unique identification of a citizen, which ensures that his/her Aadhaar details cannot be used by anyone else. The distinct biological traits come from your fingerprints, retina and iris patterns, which the Aadhaar authorities use to distinguish your details. This helps them to access your Aadhaar details with your biometric information at any time.

OTP-based Authentication

Authentication through a One-Time Password (OTP) has gained much popularity recently. For this service, you need to link your Aadhaar number with your mobile number. A resident can request an OTP through the service provider's application. Then, he/she can authenticate the Aadhaar details by entering the OTP received on the registered mobile or email ID.

Multi-factor Authentication

As the name suggests, this type of authentication combines two or more forms. You can choose a combination of authentication types, such as OTP, biometric or demographic types. This form of authentication ensures that the process is stricter and cannot be manhandled.

You do not need to produce other documents besides your Aadhaar card. However, you will require your registered mobile for OTP and produce your biometric details for authenticating your Aadhaar.

Authentication of an Aadhaar card can be important for anyone. However, public and private organisations offering services for Indian citizens need it. These include various schemes, subsidiaries and benefits. They need to ensure that those applying for these benefits deserve them. For that, they need to access their details and verify the information.

It is often challenging for service providers to collect and verify this information. However, with Aadhaar authentication, this process is much faster and entirely online. This makes it easier for such authorities to ensure that the services and benefits go to the right population.

Now that you know all about online authentication of an Aadhaar card, here are some benefits of this process to highlight its necessity.

• Simplification of the Process: The government of India deals with various documents and identities, and keeping track of these can be a long and complicated process. However, with Aadhaar authentication, all this data comes under a single authority of CIDR. Their responsibility will be reduced, and the job will be much more efficient and accurate with this authentication.
• Reduced Document Requirements: In the case of manual authentication, the government has the role of maintaining a large stack of documents. Indian citizens have various ID proofs, such as PAN cards, Voter ID cards, passports and driving licences. The government authorities might find it difficult to maintain their separate data effectively. However, with Aadhaar, they get to access this data under a single roof.
• Authentic Online Transaction: Aadhaar authentication also contributes to eliminating the possibilities of corruption and unethical activities. It is effective for financial transactions through applications like the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM). The Aadhaar authentication process helps to reduce any fraudulent activities in this process. Online transactions and payments have become easier and faster.
• Removes Undeserving Applicants: Often, undeserving applicants apply for various government schemes and benefits. It is difficult for the government authorities to identify such applications, which means deserving candidates might fail to get these benefits. However, with Aadhaar authentication, only deserving candidates will receive government benefits.
• Allows Selective Access: Lack of security has been a major problem recently. Places like airports and banks are considered high-security places. Without proper monitoring, individuals can misuse someone's documents for fraudulent purposes. However, Aadhaar authentication allows entry to restricted areas only after individuals complete the authentication.

Thus, as you can see, Aadhaar card authentication is an important step for the Indian government and the residents. It helps to ensure that the documents of a resident are not being misused in any way. Moreover, it strengthens online financial transactions and makes government processes more efficient.