High rates of Aadhaar biometric verification failure leads to UIDAI scrutiny

In India there is concern over Aadhaar biometric verification while the UIDAI is increasing its campaign of digital hygiene for the Aadhaar central database as it reaches out to sections of society at opposite ends of life.

An Indian government body has called for a review of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) after serious concerns were flagged.

The Indian Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard there are high rates of failure of Aadhaar biometric verification that can exclude eligible beneficiaries from social welfare schemes.

Across party lines, MPs warned that faulty fingerprint and iris biometric scans are blocking recipients from accessing subsidised food rations under the Public Distribution System and work opportunities through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Committee members noted that many laborers’ worn fingerprints and elderly citizens’ changed iris patterns (their biometric data) no longer match UIDAI records, resulting in wrongful exclusions.

Chaired by senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, the committee examined a 2021 report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and heard oral testimony from officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology alongside UIDAI representatives. “This is a common man’s issue,” said Venugopal, as reported by The Hindu. “We flagged various problems and have raised several questions.”

UIDAI officials acknowledged the persistent verification challenges but insisted upgrades to biometric systems are underway. They defended the security of the central Aadhaar database, attributing reported data leaks to vulnerabilities at enrolment centers and said they have tightened oversight to prevent further breaches.

There are estimates suggesting the number of active Aadhaar cards exceeds India’s total population, pointing to possible duplications and delays in deactivating cards of the deceased. UIDAI representatives explained that deactivation depends on voluntary reporting of deaths/ The PAC instructed UIDAI to proactively cleanse the database.

The panel has asked the UIDAI to submit a detailed action plan within six weeks, outlining steps to reduce biometric failures, strengthen data security, and streamline deactivation protocols.

UIDAI ramps up efforts to deactivate Aadhaar records of the deceased

In a bid to preserve the integrity of its central Aadhaar  database, the UIDAI has launched a series of initiatives to identify and deactivate Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased individuals.

This month, UIDAI formally requested death records linked with Aadhaar from the Registrar General of India (RGI). To date, the RGI has supplied approximately 15.5m death entries from 24 States and Union Territories through the Civil Registration System. Following a rigorous validation process, UIDAI has deactivated about 11.7m corresponding Aadhaar numbers. A parallel exercise is under way with non-CRS States and UTs, where roughly 670,000 death records have already been received and are in the process of verification and deactivation.

On June 9, UIDAI rolled out a new service on its myAadhaar Portal, titled “Reporting of Death of a Family Member.” Initially available for deaths registered in the 24 CRS-participating States and UTs, the portal allows a verified family member to submit the deceased’s Aadhaar number alongside their Death Registration Number and other demographic details. After UIDAI completes its validation checks, the system automatically deactivates the Aadhaar number if the submission is confirmed. Integration of the remaining States and UTs with the portal is ongoing.

Beyond government sources, UIDAI is exploring partnerships with banks and other entities in the Aadhaar ecosystem that maintain records of account holders’ deaths. At the state level, the authority has initiated a pilot project sharing demographic information of Aadhaar holders aged over 100 years with State governments. These authorities verify whether the centenarian is still alive, and UIDAI carries out subsequent validation before any deactivation.

To curb any unauthorized use of Aadhaar numbers following a family member’s death, UIDAI urges relatives to obtain an official death certificate and report the demise promptly via the myAadhaar Portal. The authority says that timely reporting will help ensure that the database remains accurate and reliable for all legitimate beneficiaries.

In addition, the UIDAI is making moves to ensure that only Indian citizens receive an Aadhaar number. First designed as a proof of identity rather than citizenship, Aadhaar will now require tighter document checks for all adult enrolments and account updates to ensure they are already in an Indian state government database.

UIDAI reminds parents to update child biometrics or face deactivation

UIDAI has urged parents to complete the Mandatory Biometric Update for children who turn seven, and who were enrolled before the age of five, warning that failure to do so will lead to Aadhaar deactivation.

Current rules specify that children must undertake a Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) on reaching five years old. The update captures fingerprints, iris and face biometrics and is free until the child’s seventh birthday — an Rs. 100 fee ($1.16) applies thereafter. UIDAI is sending SMS alerts and recently ran a campaign in Uttar Pradesh targeting 46m children.

Parents can visit any designated Aadhaar center to update biometrics, ensuring uninterrupted access to school admissions, entrance exams, scholarships and Direct Benefit Transfer schemes.

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  biometrics  |  children  |  death registration  |  digital ID  |  identity management  |  India  |  legal identity  |  UIDAI