Aadhaar up for more heavy lifting
India has faced as much scrutiny as Aadhaar. Civil society organisations had labelled it a step toward an Orwellian state, while others argued that it fostered exclusion. Some even alleged that it facilitates illegal immigrants obtaining Indian citizenship. Even a parliamentary standing committee criticised it as directionless and unnecessary.
Despite these obstacles, Aadhaar is now central to India's public service delivery systems, and plays a crucial role in digital transactions through authentication services. It has created multiple digital artefacts, including eKYC, online digital signatures (eSign), DigiLocker and Consent artefacts.
Aadhaar has made great strides in streamlining processes by cleaning up databases, such as PAN and bank accounts. Its eKYC services have minimised costs and friction in transactions. JAM has enhanced financial inclusion and facilitated DBT on a massive scale, with 118 bn authentication transactions and 14 bn eKYC transactions recorded to date.
However, the scope of Aadhaar's application has largely been confined to government programmes and specific sectors like banking and telecom. Its potential remains underutilised, particularly in private sector applications where Aadhaar-based authentication could provide benefits. For instance, companies involved in gold loans still rely on self-attested Aadhaar photocopies and other documents. This situation contradicts Aadhaar's foundational purpose as a next-gen digital identity designed to usher in an era of paperless, presence-less
