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India: Unique Identification Authority

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Digital Government

Abstract

This case study analyzes the reasons for success and challenges faced by the unique identity program in India (Aadhaar). As part of the country’s digital strategy, the unique id’s role is an integration of services and platforms. Within 6 years of being founded, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has succeeded in enrolling more than 800 million Indians. The project can be noted for the speed of execution, the effective involvement of private sector organizations and technology, the support of the government as well as its ability to successfully face legal challenges. The project has faced criticism over the use of biometrics, concerns over privacy and opposition from other ministries within the government. However with the new government, elected in May 2014 and headed by Narendra Modi, giving the project full support and making it a focal point of its governance strategy, the project has gained even more prominence.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    (2013). India’s identity crisis: Between Aadhaar, passport, PAN and … Retrieved April 16, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2297714/Indias-identity-crisis-Between-Aadhaar-passport-PAN-NPR-struggling-prove-identities.html

  2. 2.

    (2014). Digital India’s Presentation | Government of India … Retrieved January 25, 2015, from http://deity.gov.in/content/digital-indias-presentation-0

  3. 3.

    Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-18156858 on March 9, 2016.

  4. 4.

    De-duplication is the process by which any new entry is compared to all old ones on unique parameters to ensure that there is no duplication. In the case of Aadhaar the biometrics were used to ensure that an individual did not obtain two different cards.

  5. 5.

    Such as IBM, Reliance General Insurance Company Limited and others.

  6. 6.

    (2012) Aadhaar Enabled Service Delivery. Unique Identification Authority of India. Planning Commission, Government of India. Accessed at https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/whitepaper_aadhaarenabledservice_delivery.pdf

  7. 7.

    UID and Public Health. Accessed at https://uidai.gov.in/UID_PDF/Working_Papers/UIDandPublicHealth.pdf

  8. 8.

    Ibid.

  9. 9.

    (2012) India’s Unique Identity (UID) Reaching Underprivileged Households That Have No Existing ID. Retrieved May 06 2015 http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/faculty-research/sundararajan-uid-results

  10. 10.

    (2014). Government asks UIDAI to generate 100 crore Aadhaar … Retrieved May 07, 2015, from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-09-10/news/53770196_1_uidai-uid-project-uid-scheme

  11. 11.

    Aadhaar Generation Progress in India Retrieved April 29 2015, from https://portal.uidai.gov.in/uidwebportal/dashboard.do?lc=h

  12. 12.

    (2012) India’s Unique Identity (UID) Reaching Underprivileged Households That Have No Existing ID. Retrieved May 06 2015 http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/faculty-research/sundararajan-uid-results

  13. 13.

    (2015) State-wise Aadhaar Enrolment Ranking Retrieved April 29th, 2015, from http://uidai.gov.in/state-wise-aadhaar.html

  14. 14.

    (2013). Top States on HDI take the lead on Aadhaar enrolment - The … Retrieved May 06, 2015, from http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/top-states-on-hdi-take-the-lead-on-aadhar-enrolment/article5333465.ece

  15. 15.

    Some states have better standard of living and human development (economic and social standards of living) as measured by the HDI of the UNDP.

  16. 16.

    (2013). Top States on HDI take the lead on Aadhaar enrolment - The … Retrieved May 06, 2015, from http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/top-states-on-hdi-take-the-lead-on-aadhar-enrolment/article5333465.ece

  17. 17.

    Ibid.

  18. 18.

    (2014). Government asks UIDAI to generate 100 crore Aadhaar … Retrieved April 15, 2015, from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-09-10/news/53770196_1_uidai-uid-project-uid-scheme

  19. 19.

    As can be seen from the table above, about 800 million enrollments have already been done.

  20. 20.

    (2014). Centre plans to scrap Aadhaar—Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved May 06, 2015, from http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140615/nation-current-affairs/article/centre-plans-scrap-aadhaar

  21. 21.

    (2014). Nandan Nilekani impresses Narendra Modi & Arun Jaitley … Retrieved May 07, 2015, from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-07-24/news/51982210_1_uidai-project-uidai-official-aadhaar

  22. 22.

    Inclusive India: How Project Aadhaar Can Drive Growth and Social Change. Accenture. Accessed at http://www.accenture.com/sitecollectiondocuments/pdf/inclusive-india-how-project-aadhaar-can-drive-growth-and-social-change.pdf

  23. 23.

    Aadhaar Attendance Management System. Accessed at https://uidai.gov.in/aadhaar-applications/aadhaar-attendance-management-system.html

  24. 24.

    A cost-benefit analysis of Aadhaar. National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. Nov 9, 2012. pp 3.

  25. 25.

    (2012) India’s Unique Identity (UID) Reaching Underprivileged Households That Have No Existing ID. Retrieved May 06 2015 http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/faculty-research/sundararajan-uid-results

  26. 26.

    A cost-benefit analysis of Aadhaar. National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. Nov 9, 2012. pp 16.

  27. 27.

    Ibid, pp 21.

  28. 28.

    Barnwal (2014).

  29. 29.

    “Aadhaar helps to weed out fake ration card applications …” 23 Apr. 2015 http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/aadhaar-helps-to-weed-out-fake-ration-card-applications/article6396001.ece

  30. 30.

    Aadhaar Enrolment Number would be the acknowledgment number provided at the time of registering for Aadhaar.

  31. 31.

    (2012). Why India’s identity scheme is groundbreaking …—BBC.com. Retrieved May 01, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-18156858

  32. 32.

    Ibid.

  33. 33.

    Aadhaar Generation Progress in India. Retrieved April 29 2015 https://portal.uidai.gov.in/uidwebportal/dashboard.do?lc=h

  34. 34.

    “States and Aadhaar—All you want to know about UID and NPR …” 25 Apr. 2015 http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/slideshows/economy/all-you-want-to-know-about-uid-npr/states-aadhaar/slideshow/18832328.cms

  35. 35.

    “How Nandan Nilekani Took Aadhaar Past The Tipping Point.” 25 Apr. 2015 http://forbesindia.com/article/big-bet/how-nandan-nilekani-took-aadhaar-past-the-tipping-point/36259/3

  36. 36.

    “How Nandan Nilekani Took Aadhaar Past The Tipping Point.” 25 Apr. 2015 http://forbesindia.com/article/big-bet/how-nandan-nilekani-took-aadhaar-past-the-tipping-point/36259/3

  37. 37.

    Sao (2013).

  38. 38.

    Sao (2013).

  39. 39.

    (2011). “Intrusion plus Retreat: Questions on the Unique ID Project in India”. London School of Economics. Retrieved April 20 2015 http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/informationSystems/newsAndEvents/2011events/ramakumar.htm

  40. 40.

    (2014) “Withdraw instruction to make Aadhaar mandatory—articles …” Retrieved 20 Apr. 2015 http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-03-25/news/48558932_1_aadhaar-card-unique-identification-authority-uidai

  41. 41.

    (2011). “UID data not secure, says Chidambaram…” Retrieved Apr 15 2015 http://ibnlive.in.com/news/uid-data-not-secure-says-chidambaram/203267-3.html

  42. 42.

    “UIDAI cancels 3.84 lakh fake Aadhaar numbers.” Retrieved 23 Apr. 2015 http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/uidai-cancels-3-84-lakh-fake-aadhaar-numbers/article1-980634.aspx

  43. 43.

    Sao (2013).

  44. 44.

    Sao (2013).

  45. 45.

    (2013). MHA jittery over UIDAI mandate|Latest News and Updates at … Retrieved Apr 20, 2015, from http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-mha-jittery-over-uidai-mandate-1641875

  46. 46.

    (2014). Chidambaram red flags Nilekani: ‘UIDAI brought NPR to … Retrieve April 18, 2015, from http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/NAT-TOP-chidambaram-red-flags-nilekani-uidai-brought-npr-to-standstill-3381183.html

  47. 47.

    (2012). Row over UIDAI data collection resolved—Livemint. Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://www.livemint.com/Politics/b8YC6QC4lB6TtczQKeUcxO/Row-over-UIDAI-data-collection-resolved.html

  48. 48.

    (2013). How Nandan Nilekani Took Aadhaar Past The Tipping Point. Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://forbesindia.com/article/big-bet/how-nsandan-nilekani-took-aadhaar-past-the-tipping-point/36259/1

  49. 49.

    (2014). Supreme Court demolishes Aadhaar card: Judges rule card … Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2588303/Supreme-Court-demolishes-Aadhaar-card-Judges-rule-card-NOT-mandatory-government-subsidies.html

  50. 50.

    (2014). Withdraw instruction to make Aadhaar mandatory: Supreme … Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-03-25/news/48558932_1_aadhaar-card-unique-identification-authority-uidai

  51. 51.

    Forty-second report, The National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, Standing Committee on Finance (2011–2012), Fifteenth Lok Sabha, Ministry of Planning, December 2011.

  52. 52.

    Forty-second report, The National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, Standing Committee on Finance (2011–2012), Fifteenth Lok Sabha, Ministry of Planning, December 2011.

  53. 53.

    (2013). Aadhaar-based payment system in 50 districts|Business … Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/aadhaar-based-payment-system-in-50-districts-112041902005_1.html

  54. 54.

    (2012) India’s Unique Identity (UID) Reaching Underprivileged Households That Have No Existing ID. Retrieved May 06 2015 from http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/faculty-research/sundararajan-uid-results

  55. 55.

    PM Modi’s financial inclusion program with services such as zero balances accounts with banks to enroll under-privileged sections in the banking system.

  56. 56.

    (2012) Aadhaar Enabled Service Delivery. Unique Identification Authority of India. Planning Commission, Government of India. Accessed at https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/whitepaper_aadhaarenabledservice_delivery.pdf

  57. 57.

    Ibid.

  58. 58.

    Ibid.

  59. 59.

    Zelazny (2012).

  60. 60.

    (2014). Meet the man who built the awesome online attendance … Retrieved April 18, 2015, from http://qz.com/277897/meet-the-man-who-built-the-awesome-online-attendance-system-for-indias-government-officials/

  61. 61.

    JAM—linking of financial services to the excluded strata of the population through Aadhaar and mobile technologies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Sonalika Chaturvedi & Hariharan Sriram

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  1. Sonalika Chaturvedi
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  2. Hariharan Sriram
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Correspondence to Hariharan Sriram .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Accenture, Berlin, Germany

    Svenja Falk

  2. Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany

    Andrea Römmele

  3. School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

    Michael Silverman

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Chaturvedi, S., Sriram, H. (2017). India: Unique Identification Authority. In: Falk, S., Römmele, A., Silverman, M. (eds) Digital Government. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38795-6_8

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