Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

UIDAI Embarks On Capacity Building Exercise Even As Misuse Of Aadhaar Data Continues To Rise

May 11, 2023
Aadhaar_UIDAI_biometrics

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said in a press statement that it has embarked on a nationwide capacity building drive to augment efficiency of thousands of Aadhaar operators across the country.

However, this comes at a time when there has been a significant increase in Aadhaar-based frauds. Earlier, the government floated a draft of amendments to the Aadhaar Act, 2019, for public consultation that is intended to give non-government entities access to Aadhaar data. Infosec experts have pointed that these steps are intended to widen the scope of Aadhaar through the backdoor, which is against the letter and spirit of the verdict pronounced by a nine-judge bench in the Puttaswamy vs Union of India case.

UIDAI claims that this exercise will strengthen the ecosystem further by making the operators aware of latest changes in policies and procedures in the Aadhaar ecosystem and cut down errors at operator level during enrolment, updates, and authentication processes. Most importantly, it will further improve experience of residents.

According to the press note, UIDAI has already conducted nearly two dozen training sessions in several states and Union Territories including in North-Eastern States in the past few months. As operators work at the ground level, and are responsible for enrolment, update and authentications, it is imperative that they possess a sound understanding of processes, guidelines and policies.

The training sessions already conducted have equipped nearly 3,500 operators and master trainers with the latest knowledge, and mechanisms of enrolment, update and authentication processes. They can initiate the process of knowledge dissemination and spread the acquired information further as well.

Besides, over 100 more such full-day training sessions will be conducted by the UIDAI during the current year across all the States and Union Territories.

A robust knowledge of Aadhaar ecosystem and behavioural change by these partners will help in giving more empathetic and improved experience to residents at enrolment/update centres across the country.