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7/25/2019 Aadhaar – Identification Simplified, Myths Busted _ the Wire
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http://thewire.in/24713/aadhaar-identification-simplified-myths-busted/
Aadhaar –
Identication
Simplied, MythsBustedBY PIYUSH PESHWANI AND BHUWAN JOSHI ON 14/03/2016 • 9 COMMENTS
The questions and criticism of the Aadhaar initiativeare often generated from an inadequateunderstanding of the programme, say two UIDAIteam members.
Aadhaar cards. Credit: PTI
Passports: 57 million. Ration cards: 150 million. PAN Cards: 170
FEA TURED
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million. Driving Licence: 173 million. Voter ID Cards: 600 million.
Aadhaar: 950 million. And this was in December 2015.
As on March 10, 2016, Aadhaar numbers issued by the Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) stand close to 990 million.
Aadhaar is already the world’s largest biometric database and the first
online biometric-based identity system in the world. Its technology,
architecture and accuracy have been tested in different proof of concept
(POC) studies, field trials and various system implementations, such as
LPG subsidy disbursal, Public Distribution System (PDS), MNREGS
wages, bank account opening and passport issuance. We will soon reach
a point where more than 1 billion Aadhaar numbers would have been
issued, with more than 95% adults in the country having an Aadhaar.
This has been quite a journey since Ranjana Sonawne from Tembhli
village in Maharashtra became the first person to get an Aadhaar in
August 2010. To understand the inclusive nature of this program, join
any queue where establishing your identity is mandatory to receive a
government or private service, and observe the proportion of people
relying on their Aadhaar to prove their identity. For many, Aadhaar is
perhaps the first document of their existence – a robust proof of their
identity and address that can be verified online. No more closed doors
for them!
Despite the benefits, many people have raised concerns and questions
regarding Aadhaar and its potential misuse. One such representation is
made by independent law researcher Usha Ramanathan in her article
The Law Needs to Catch Up With Aadhaar, But Not in the Way Jaitley is
Promising (http://thewire.in/2016/03/03/the-law-needs-to-catch-up-with-aadhaar-
but-not-in-the-way-jaitley-is-promising-23543/) on The Wire. Ramanathan
seems to have an incorrect comprehension of information and
technology around Aadhaar, and we believe it’s important to bring out
the facts and dispel the myths.
Since we are not experts on legislation, we will not delve into
the Aadhaar (Target Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits
and Services) Bill, 2016 (http://thewire.in/2016/03/03/the-law-needs-to-catch-
up-with-aadhaar-but-not-in-the-way-jaitley-is-promising-23543/); that’s best left to
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a parliamentary discussion. However, let’s touch upon the other critical
aspects and bust the myths surrounding Aadhaar.
Myth 1 – High Cost
Was there a need to have yet another identity system? Does it justify the
cost? Yes, absolutely, according to the World Bank
(http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/aadhaar-id-saving-indian-
govt-about-usd-1-bln-per-annum-kaushik-basu/) , who said the initiative is
estimated to be saving the Indian government about $1 billion annually
by thwarting corruption, even as it underlined that digital technologies
promote inclusion, efficiency and innovation.
How are such savings possible? The answer lies in Aadhaar’s
‘uniqueness efficiency’ in the delivery of food subsidy, fuel (LPG and
kerosene) subsidy, fertiliser subsidy, MNREGS wages, pensions,
scholarships and other government benefits, which it achieves by
curbing leakages in benefits disbursement. Aadhaar means no fake,
ghost or duplicate beneficiaries. Double-dipping will become more and
more difficult with Aadhaar, a number that is well de-duplicated with
the use of biometrics. Direct benefits transfer removes the middle layers
where most inefficiencies lie. Reduced leakages will further ensure that
a higher percentage of these benefits end up reaching the intended/real
beneficiaries. All this at a total cost of less than a dollar per Aadhaar,
which, incidentally, is the lowest in the world for the issuance of a
similar identity.
Even before the World Bank’s endorsement of Aadhaar, Delhi-based
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy conducted a detailed
cost-analysis study on Aadhaar
(http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/rep_uid_cba_paper.pdf) in 2012.
Their analysis took into account the costs of developing and
maintaining Aadhaar, and of integrating Aadhaar with the schemes
over the next decade. The study found that substantial benefits would
accrue to the government by integrating Aadhaar with schemes such as
PDS, MNREGS, fertiliser and LPG subsidies, as well as housing,
education and health programmes. It found that the benefits would
arise from the reduction in leakages that occur due to identification and
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authentication issues. Even after taking all costs into account and
making modest assumptions about leakages of about 7-12% value of
transfer/subsidy, the study found that the Aadhaar project would yield
an internal rate of return in real terms of 52.85% to the government.
Myth 2 – Profiling
A prominent criticism of Aadhaar is that it ‘profiles’ people. The UIDAI
has emphasised several times that information related to religion or
caste is neither collected nor stored in the Aadhaar database. Applicants
and holders are encouraged to look at their Aadhaar to confirm this.
The three biometrics collected are fingerprints, an iris scan and a face
photograph. The four mandatory demographic information fields are
name, address, gender and date of birth (or age). Optional information
fields, such as mobile number and email, are collected for
communication efficiency, including for sending a one-time password
(OTP) for e-Aadhaar, updates or OTP authentication. Information on
parent/guardians is mandatory only for children below the age of five.
This is the only information collected from applicants, and no
information that can result in profiling on the basis of religion and caste
is sought.
Myth 3 – Proof of residence vs citizenship
Another criticism of the Aadhaar programme is that it is being given to
everyone without identifying citizenship. The UIDAI has clarified that
Aadhaar is for ‘residents’ and not just for ‘citizens’, a position that has
remained unchanged since the programme was first initiated. Anyone
who states otherwise is misrepresenting the facts.
Many Indians who go to the US obtain a social security number, which
makes it easy and convenient for them to access services. This is similar
to Aadhaar. As for the concern of illegal Bangladeshi migrants getting
an Aadhaar, a reality check is required. What is the objective of refusing
someone an Aadhaar if he/she already has a ration card, a voter ID card
and/or other government documents? The Demographic Data
Standards and Verification Procedures committee
(https://uidai.gov.in/UID_PDF/Committees/UID_DDSVP_Committee_Report_v1.0.pd
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f) prescribes a list of valid 18 proof of identity and 33 valid proof of
address documents for getting an Aadhaar. If someone already has
those documents, the UIDAI can hardly be blamed for issuing them an
Aadhaar. Who decides legality? If an enrollment operator uses his
discretion to decide who is and isn’t eligible for an Aadhaar on personal
whims, we’ll only be encouraging exclusion and fraudulent practices.
Myth 4 – Biometric and data theft
The Aadhaar programme has often been questioned because UIDAI
collects biometrics and data “that can be stolen” or “sold to other
countries”, and the security of which cannot be guaranteed. All
government data resides in government databases just like all bank
account data, including passwords, resides in bank databases. But does
this mean we should stop putting our money into bank accounts?
The UIDAI has ensured security of data – both physically and at the
application level – by applying leading technical and process practices.
The UIDAI has also established two large-scale data centres to ensure
complete security of data and applications, and it regularly conducts
audits by reputed third party agencies to keep its systems and processes
up to date.
In a utopian world, perhaps such government programs can exist
without any private contractors. In the real world, however, private
technology companies’ expertise and experience must be leveraged to
successfully implement programs of such scale and ambition. Having
said this, it’s important to clarify that the Aadhaar platform is built
mostly on open source technologies, with propriety technologies being
used only where necessary.
While adopting any propriety software for biometrics, the design
approach followed by the UIDAI is to have multiple vendors in an
architectural layer, with a payment model put in place such that the
vendors are incentivised to improve quality, accuracy and speed. These
vendors or their services can be replaced, as has happened, if they do
not meet stringent service level agreements. The involvement of private
sector players is designed such that the guiding principles for scale-up
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and quality are followed, and the business model encourages only the
best to remain. An example of this is the more than 100 enrolment
agencies deployed on ground, such that no monopolistic practices can
creep in, and that they are penalised for any compromise of quality and
conditions of contract.
Myth 5 – Exclusion
The Aadhaar programme is often said to be exclusivist. But with over
990 million Aadhaar numbers issued, it is the most inclusive identity
system in India today. The number of Jan Dhan accounts that have
been opened because of Aadhaar in the last two years is further
testimony to the impact of the programme in enabling financial
inclusion. Aadhaar-enabled micro-ATMs at post-offices are expected to
have a transformational impact in furthering the cause of financial
inclusion with respect to basic services, including deposits, withdrawals
and balance inquiries, even in remote areas.
As far as exclusion in delivery of other services due to biometric
authentication accuracy is concerned, it is important to go beyond
scratching the surface. A detailed iris authentication POC done by the
UIDAI in a semi-urban setting found that the accuracy was 99.73% for
“two iris authentication” with a false acceptance rate of one in one
million. Further, eight POCs done on fingerprint authentication proved
that 99% accuracy could be achieved at a false acceptance rate of one in
10,000.
Biometric authentication is a platform, and service providers are
expected to use their wisdom in using the platform. Biometric
authentication is not the only platform available from the UIDAI; it
offers demographic and OTP authentication as well. The UIDAI’s focus
to get mobile numbers updated indicated the direction it wants to take
– to give service providers another reliable option for authentication.
Service providers can even build their own OTP authentication for
exception handling. There can be multiple factors of authentication to
ensure that nobody gets left out, including electronic and traditional
paper-based authentication. Of course a good system design would
require service providers to do exception handling in tandem with fraud
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detection.
To draw an analogy with the banking world, saying that biometric
authentication accuracy causes exclusion is similar to saying ATMs
cause exclusion because many places in India do not have ATMs. Or
perhaps, saying that internet banking causes exclusion because many
people in India do not have internet access. It’s an unnecessary and
false connection of ‘cause’ and ‘effect’.
Also, the Aadhaar number, similar to the US’ social security number,
has multiple applications that are not even linked to the use of the
authentication platform. Direct benefits transfer for LPG subsidy is one
such example of an Aadhaar-based application where authentication is
not required.
Myth 6 – Wrongful inclusion
The Aadhaar programme has also been criticised for wrongful
inclusion, which means one person is able to the benefits of another
person. This criticism has no foundation in truth as no such case has
been pointed out. One can draw an analogy to forgery, and the using a
fake document or signature. The Aadhaar authentication platform
works at a minimum false acceptance rate of around one in 10,000.
This means a person with fraudulent intent will have to try 10,000
different Aadhaar numbers at different service delivery outlets in the
country till a false match happens and he/she is able to wrongly access
someone else’s benefit. Given the odds, such forgery is unlikely.
Myth 7 – Last-mile service delivery using Aadhaar is a
problem
Connectivity trends and Internet infrastructure will continue to
improve in India, boosting the Aadhaar programme. But Aadhaar
authentication works over GPRS connectivity too. When heavy rains
marooned large parts of Tamil Nadu, and all banks and ATMs were shut
down, banking correspondents armed with Aadhaar-enabled micro-
ATMs helped people withdraw cash from their bank accounts. The
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Aadhaar-enabled payment system is just one of the applications of the
Aadhaar authentication platform.
Of course there are other challenges in last-mile delivery, such as the
literacy levels of service delivery operators and the risks in cash
handling. But it is pertinent to realise that the UIDAI cannot be blamed
for such environmental factors, and that solutions to these problems
have to be found outside the realm of the UIDAI.
Myth 8 – Privacy violations
Most of us have one or more identity/address documents, such as a
passport, ration card, PAN card, driving licence, vehicle registration
documents or a voter ID card. The government departments managing
these already have our data. Aadhaar is no different. We give our data
to banks, to insurance companies and to telecom companies for
accounts, policies and mobile connections. LPG distributors get our
data when we get a gas connection. Similarly when you create an email
account, the service provider gets your data, as does an app provider
when you install an app on your phone. An article in The Huffington
Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/facebook-terms-
condition_n_5551965.html?section=india) illustrated what most people miss
when they sign up on Facebook and choose not to read the terms and
conditions – the social networking site has access to all your
information.
We believe that the world has more access to personal details of ‘privacy
supporters’ through their articles, blogs, and email, Facebook and
Linkedin accounts, where they probably signed off their rights to
privacy by accepting, without realising, the terms and condition. These
have far greater chances of ‘misuse’ than the Aadhaar database, which
CANNOT be shared with anyone without the consent of the Aadhaar-
holder.
We live in a connected world and we trust reputed agencies to be the
custodians of our data. Privacy must be respected, but suspecting a
programme like Aadhaar of violating privacy is clearly going overboard.
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Benefits outweigh the risks
The increased savings and efficiency in public service delivery due to
the usage of Aadhaar would make dubious business practices redundant
(which is just the beginning of Aadhaar usage) and will encourage
public debate to be muddled with myths and misinformation. Readers
need to be aware to make intelligent judgement based on data, facts and
logic.
Every new change of system comes with inherent risks and challenges.
But when the benefits, especially to the weaker and underprivileged
sections of society, outweigh the risks and challenges significantly, it
makes sense to adopt the new system and a new way of life that is more
efficient and more effective. Needless to say, the UIDAI should continue
to focus on secure and convenient updates, the enrollment of children
and newborns, the enrollment of those who are still left out, accessible
permanent locations for enrollment and update, and most importantly,
continued and absolute de-duplication through an optimal
orchestration of biometric and demographic data checks. Over the next
few years, biometric technology and accuracy is expected to improve
and become more cost-effective, and the same goes for connectivity up
to the village level. Our estimate is that over the next two to three years,
service providers will figure out how to use the Aadhaar platformeffectively, thus making it ubiquitous for secure and convenient
identification, and for better delivery of public and private services.
Piyush Peshwani and Bhuwan Joshi were part of the UIDAI team from
the private sector, and can be reached at piyush.peshwani@gmail.com
and bcjoshi77@gmail.com.
What to read next:
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9 Comments 1
• •
Innocent •
Modis Vision !!!
BANK the Unbanked - Jan dhan, FUND the Unfunded - Mudra
yojana and TAX the Untaxed - GST
Peetambar Ratnam •
Security is a major major concern with Aadhaar.
What they're not telling you is, that they're trying to bring all things
under one umbrella that is Aadhaar. So today the y talk about just
subsidies. Tomorrow it is KYC then it is something else. Altogether
they it is like systematically packaging everything and bringing it
under one umbrella. While that is OK, who can have access to it is
very sad !
First the government said they wanted to the subsidies to go to the
Categories: Featured (http://t hewire.in/category/featured/), Politics
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Tagged as: Aadhaar (http://t hewire.in/tag/aadhaar/), Aadhaar Bill
(http://thewire.in/tag/aadhaar-bill/), Aadhaar card (http://t hewire.in/tag/aadhaar-card/), LPG subsidy
(http://thewire.in/tag/lpg-subsidy/), MNREGA (http://t hewire.in/tag/mnrega/), Public Distribution
System (http://thewire.in/tag/public-distribution-system/), Ranjana Sonawne
(http://thewire.in/tag/ranjana-sonawne/), UID
(http://thewire.in/tag/uid/), UIDAI
(http://thewire.in/tag/uidai/), Unique Identification Authority of India
(http://t hewire.in/tag/unique-identification-authority-of-india/)
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• •
right people so they wanted Aadhar gard and/or bank accounts. Now
they say they want to get rid of LPG subsidy ! Then why was all this
dram performed of Aadhaar card and bank accounts ? All is a game
of lies !
All our data ends up with the government. That means all your
sensitive information is in the hands of corrupt ! What people very
well know but don't quote is, government sector is the most corrupt
and least citizen friendly sector. Imagine if they have all your data
how they can harass you.
Example think what a police can do if he knows your bank details
and you are in the police station for something which you're dragged
into. As of today we have head so many news that a police has to be
bribed to even register an FIR. Think of other situations !
This is the big big risk.
• •
Reader •
Could you then clarify why Aadhaar-like proposals never took off in
UK and other countries?
• •
dk bond •
"Even after taking all costs into account and making modest
assumptions about leakages of about 7-12% value of transfer/subsidy,
the study found that the Aadhaar project would yield an internal rate
of return in real terms of 52.85% to the government"
that's a problem with the NIPFP study. it only uses assumptions to
estimate the benefits.Not their fault, since there isn't any data that
can tell us reliably the magnitude of the leakages, and definitely not
(as the study itself admits) the magnitude of the leakages that Aadhar
would be able to correct.
• •
Hector •
Very good read and this article should go some way in dispelling fears
over the use of aadhar. One concern is regarding data security
inherent in online systems and aadhar is the biggest such globally.
Given that Indian government, companies are under daily cyber
attackscarried out by third countries - it's a huge exposure for any
country to maintain such a system online. What measures are being
taken to protect aadhar given that Indian railways - irctc faced such
an attack recently which impacted services and scores of users.
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• •
Bhuwan Joshi •
Thanks Hector for your good words. As you understand that
in cyber world there is no company , which has not faced cyber
attacks or can say that they can never be attacked but as all
large companies ensure that they have no single point of
failure, even in case of attack, nobody can steal business
critical data and even if it get it some way could not use it.
UIDAI has also ensure all this by only allowing access to its API through some trusted partners which are called ASA,
AUA, KSA and KUA. There partners are connected to UIDAI
through a secure pipeline, UIDAI ensures security using
standard security process as well as through state of the art
security tools. UIDAI uses 2048 key based encryption to
encrypt data. For more details please go through this link
which has a detailed information about authentication API
and its security features (https://www.uidai.gov.in/image....
UIDAI also has an in-house dedicated security team which
monitor and take action against possible threats and keeps on
updating security polices and technologies. Hope this will
help.
• •
R Joseph •
In a country where the Government cannot maintain roads and
drainage systems properly, I am sorry to say this Aadhar business is a
oke. Moreover no other democratic country in the world has such a
system where it is always open to the Government to carry out masssurveillance on its citizens. .
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