India’s ambitious Aadhaar identification system is facing a critical review from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after reports highlighted a significant number of biometric verification failures. These glitches are increasingly preventing vulnerable citizens from accessing vital government benefits, prompting calls for urgent reforms and a thorough cleanup of the national database.
Aadhaar’s Biometric Glitches Raise Alarm
India’s unique identification system, Aadhaar, designed to streamline access to government services, is now under intense scrutiny. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a key parliamentary body, has flagged a concerning trend: a high rate of biometric verification failures. This means that for many citizens, their fingerprints or iris scans are not being recognized by the system, despite having a valid Aadhaar card. The PAC, led by K.C. Venugopal, heard detailed briefings from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and officials from both the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). This high failure rate is not just a technical hiccup; it has profound consequences for millions of Indians relying on government support.
The Human Cost: Exclusion from Vital Benefits
The most significant impact of these biometric failures is the exclusion of deserving individuals from crucial social welfare programs. Many government schemes, such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), which provides subsidized food grains, and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), a rural employment program, are directly linked to Aadhaar. When a person’s biometric scan fails, they are often unable to prove their identity, effectively shutting them out of these essential services. This issue disproportionately affects the elderly, whose fingerprints might be worn down from years of manual labor, or those with iris patterns that are difficult to match. The PAC emphasized that such technical shortcomings are leading to real hardship and denying aid to those who need it most.
Persistent Worries Over Data Security and Duplicates
Beyond biometric issues, the PAC also voiced concerns about the security of Aadhaar data and the potential for duplicate cards. While UIDAI officials maintain that their central database is secure and any data leaks originate from local enrollment centers, the committee remained uneasy. The possibility of individuals holding more than one Aadhaar card, or cards belonging to deceased individuals remaining active, presents a significant challenge to the system’s integrity. These issues raise questions about the accuracy and reliability of the vast Aadhaar database, which holds sensitive personal information for over a billion people.
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PAC Demands Action and UIDAI Promises Upgrades
In response to the PAC’s findings, UIDAI officials stated that they are actively working to upgrade their systems to improve biometric accuracy and address other technical challenges. However, the PAC was not content with mere assurances. They issued a clear directive to UIDAI, urging the authority to take proactive steps to “clean up” the list of Aadhaar cardholders. This includes a thorough review to identify and deactivate duplicate cards, as well as removing cards belonging to deceased individuals. The committee’s demand underscores the urgent need for UIDAI to not only enhance its technology but also to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the Aadhaar database to prevent further exclusion and maintain public trust.