Aadhaar verification was once only available to government bodies and banks. Private citizens can verify another person’s 12-digit number for better security
Whether you are trying to buy a house, take in new tenants, hire a driver or even take on domestic help, you can do so with ease of mind. The Aadhaar card issuing authority, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) brought in a facility wherein individuals and private citizens can now verify another person’s Aadhaar. Consider it as a background check. Once, this feature was restricted only to government institutions and banks but has since opened up to the general public as well.
The UIDAI is a statutory body that was established by the government of India in January of 2009 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It followed the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and services) Act, 2016. Before the enactment of the aforementioned act, the UIDAI was functioning as an attachment office for the Planning Commission which is now NITI Aayog. Now, Aadhaar stands as the world’s largest biometric identification system.
In today’s context, the card is tied into nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives. It is integrated into our bank accounts, home loans, cellphone plans, health insurance and so much more. This 12-digit number has become the one-stop shop for all activities undertaken by Indian citizens; be it for verification, authentication or accessing certain institutional facilities such as jobs, college enrolment or even opening a bank account.
With that said, if you are looking to hire or take someone on for room and board, security verification is an important step. The Aadhaar facilities on the UIDAI portal now let you do so with a few simple steps.
Here is how you can verify someone’s Aadhaar
Step 1: Go to the official UIDAI website or you can go to the specific page (https://resident.uidai.gov.in/verify).
Step 2: Click on the ‘Aadhaar Services’ segment that comes under the ‘My Aadhaar’ category in the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Once you have found it, click on the ‘Verify an Aadhaar Number’ option on your screen.
Step 4: Once you clicked that, you will be redirected and a new page will open up. You will be taken to the Aadhaar verification page.
Step 5: On the new page you will see a few boxes where you need to fill in the necessary information. Fill in your Aadhaar number and the captcha given below into the relevant box. After you have entered your information, click on the ‘Proceed to Verify’ button at the bottom of the page.
Step 6: After you clicked the verify option, one of two things will happen. For one, if the Aadhaar number you entered is real and authentic, the status of the number entered will display and it will be listed as an operational number on the website. If the number is not correct or has been deactivated, however, you will receive a notification informing you of the same.
It is important to take security measures in this day and age, hence why the government has expanded the domain of verification to the general citizen as well.