Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)Planning Commission, Government of India

Capability Building Framework

of

UIDAI

CANDIDATES

UIDAISupported Training

Initiatives

PreCertification

Training

Testing andCertification

InductionTraining

Field Coachingfor

Operators

RefresherTraining

(for EA Staff)

I Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………......

II Objectives of the framework ………………………………………………………………………..….......

III UIDAI Capability Building Framework: Partners……………………………………………...........

(a) CDA and other content providers ……………………………………………………………..........

(b) Testing and Certification Agency ……………………………………………………………….........

(C) Empanelled training Agencies ……………………………………………………………….........

(D) Field Coaching Agencies ………………………………………………………………………….........

(E) NSDC………………………………………………………………………………………………………...........

IV Capability Building Programmes and Interventions …………………………………………….....

(A) Pre certification training………………………………………………………………......................

(B) Induction Training…………………………………………………………………………......................

(C) Refresher/Orientation Training………………………………………………………………............

(D) Aadhaar Field Coaching Program (AFPC)…………………………………………...................

(E) Master Training program for Trainers……………………………………………………..............

(F) Film based training……………………………………………………………………………………..........

(G) Program for PRI/ULB and DLOs…………………………………………………………….............

V Challenges and the Way Forward………………………………………………………………………......

Table of Contents

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- 1 -

I. Introduction

A. UIDAI’s mandate is to provide a unique Aadhaar number to all residents. For such a

diverse and collaborative effort for building up of the residents’ database to succeed,

there are a few things which are necessary. One such thing is uniformity of enrolment

process across the entire eco-system of Registrars. This uniformity is to be achieved at the

level of data structure, quality, verification processes and other practices. This will ensure

data-quality, especially of the biometric data, which is absolutely essential as the sole

basis of de-duplication and uniqueness assurance is the set of biometric attributes of

residents.

B. Achievement of such uniformity requires that the persons involved in the enrolment

process at the field level are trained thoroughly to accomplish the job of enrolment.

Similarly the supervisors of the enrolling agencies and the representatives of the

Registrars who are involved in the UID enrolment also need adequate training so as to

appreciate the importance of quality and to enforce quality in enrolment at the field level.

Members of Panchayati raj institutions and other local bodies also need to be sensitized

about the Aadhaar program. To address this need of preparing a skilled field force and

educate the other stakeholders about their role in Aadhaar program UIDAI has

developed a comprehensive capability building framework.

C. Apart from training there had to be a mechanism to assess the person’s skill and

proficiency to work as enrolment staff. The trainers who were to impart training to the

enrolment staff were also required to be assessed for their knowledge about the Aadhaar

program, the skills to training on Aadhaar client, devices and equipments and resident

handling etc.

- 2 -

II. Objectives of the Framework

The objectives of the capability building framework are to:

1. Prepare a pool of skilled manpower to take up enrolment work.

2. Enable the enrolment staff to collect high quality resident data.

3. To orient the enrolment staff towards creating quality resident experience.

4. Enable ecosystem partners like Registrars and EAs to roll out their own skill development

initiatives.

5. Enable the establishment of flexible delivery mechanisms that respond to the

characteristics of a wide range of needs of ecosystem partners.

- 3 -

III. UIDAI Capability Building Framework: Partners

UIDAI Training Ecosystem

A. CDA and other Content providers:

1. UIDAI has appointed an agency to develop comprehensive training content to cater to the

different target audience (TA). The agency had done detailed TNA to assess the skill and

knowledge requirement and prepared program flows. Modular training content was

developed keeping in view varying educational backgrounds of the TA and to enable

flexible delivery of programs. In addition the modular design has aided the testing and

certification too. The ILT, Computer based Training (CBT) and text content have been

prepared to assist classroom training and self learning.

2. Computer based training modules (CBTs) have been developed to assist self learning. The

CBT consists of tutorials using Audio visual aids. The interface is user friendly providing

ease of navigation between topics. It's Take a tour utility helps learning by video content

depicting different aspects of resident enrolment process. Exercises at the end of each

module help the learner do a self assessment. The CBTs is being widely used during the

classroom sessions also

3. Apart from these films based training modules have been developed for the skill building

of enrolment staff and for educating the residents about Aadhaar program. Film based

training is a proven method for sustainable people development at the frontline level.

The films have been developed in such a way that they can be used either as standalone

training content or with other training interventions.

- 4 -

4. Simulator based training content and assessments are also being developed to provide

hands on practice to the enrolment staff. This entails development of a gaming zone that

shall be hosted on web based Learning Management System (LMS). It will provide the

enrolment staff a platform to hone their enrolment skills.

1. To ensure quality of the trained personnel, UIDAI has appointed two Testing and

Certification agencies (TCA). These are Sify Technologies and Merittrac Ltd. The TCAs

conduct tests and award certificates on successful completion of the test. Only those

personnel who are certified under UIDAI testing & certification system are eligible for

performing enrolment functions. The Master Trainers of the empanelled testing agencies

also need to be certified to impart training. The tests for different roles vary in testing

content and duration. The test items include MCQs, and simulation based questions.

2. The registration, scheduling and administration of the tests are done in an online mode

through the web portals developed by TCAs for the purpose. The portal can be accessed

through the www.uidai.gov. in as well. The tests are conducted as per defined periodicity

in proctored environment. The candidate can take up to 3 retests if he/she can't clear the

test in first attempt. The modular nature of testing allows the candidate to appear only for

those modules during retests that he/she could not clear in the previous attempts.

3. The test design is such that it assesses the skill , knowledge and application required for

each role. Certifications are available for the following roles:

A. Enrolment Agency Operator

B. Enrolment Agency Supervisor

C. Technical Support Personnel

D. Master Trainer

There are in all 6 such modules and the study material for the same are available on the

UIDAI web site (http://uidai.gov.in). The candidates are tested through

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

• Simulation Based Questions

While the MCQs test the candidate's knowledge and comprehension of the relevant

modules, the simulation based questions test the candidate's ability to use the Aadhaar

Enrolment Client software and also checks on their basic typing and data entry skills.

Given below are the modules that each profile needs to certify in along with the

approximate number of questions and the time duration (in minutes) for each module. In

any case the total time duration for the test will be restricted to about 1.5 Hours in case of

all candidates except those who are certifying for the EA Tech Support profile and for

Master Trainers. For EA Tech Support candidates the duration of the test would be 1.5

Hours. For Master Trainers the test duration would be of 2 Hours.

B. Testing and Certification Agency:

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- 6 -

4. In all around 1.5 lakh candidates have taken tests till date for different roles. There is a

proposal to make the testing activity centralized, as a result the number of test centers in

a given state/UTs will go down. This is being done for better monitoring of the testing

activity

Training for a program that is as big as this, can be best done in cascade mode. To ensure

that sufficient resource persons were available to impart training to the staff of EA and

other audience 15 reputed training organizations were empanelled by UIDAI. These

agencies have presence across country and are providing their services in different states

as and when required.

UIDAI has rolled out Field performance coaching as a remedial training intervention. This

is targeted at operators whose performance has been found below average. Three

agencies- Centum Learning, Educomp and NIIT- have been chosen to impart coaching

services. These agencies have been assigned regions in which they will impart coaching.

The Regional Offices (ROs) of UIDAI will anchor this program in their respective regions.

From the interactions with enrolment agencies and field operations experience it has

become evident that sourcing of skilled manpower at local level is a challenge. To assist

the EAs in sourcing skilled manpower, UIDAI signed an MoU with NSDC to ready a pool of

adequately trained and certified manpower in consultation with the EAs. The NSDC’s

partner agencies were to work closely with EAs and source, train the manpower and get

them certified. The EAs were to draw from this pool as and when required. NSDC’s

training partners have sourced and trained manpower for a few EAs in states like

Karnataka and Jharkhand.

C. Empanelled training Agencies

D. Field Coaching Agencies

E. National Skill Development Corporation

- 7 -

IV. Capability Building Programmes and Interventions

Pre Certification

Training

Induction Training

Refresher Training

Coaching

Intervention

Master Trainer

workshop

PRI and

District Level

• Location EA’s location

• Trainer resource EA’s Trainer and/or Training resource from

empanelled agencies

• Target group Candidates sourced by the EA for enrolment job

• Periodicity As required

• Location EA’s location

• Trainer resource EA’s Trainer and/or Training resource from

empanelled agencies

• Target group Operators in the early stage

• Periodicity As required

• Location State level

• Trainer resource ADG and SSA

QA Team leader

IEC Lead

• Target group Supervisors in the field

• Periodicity Once every three months for 4 hour

• Location At the enrolment centers

• Trainer resource Contracted Training agencies

• Target group Operators with below average quality

enrolments and their supervisors

• Periodicity Continuous

• Location Regional Office VC facility

• Trainer resource Tech Team and Headquarters

• Target group ADG, SSA, IEC lead, QA Team lead

• Periodicity Every three months for 1 to 2 days

• Location Panchayat Level where enrolment are to take

place

• Trainer resource RO resources or from Empanelled Training

Institutes

• Target group Panchayati Raj official and local officials

• Periodicity As required (the program duration is 3 hrs) and

preceding the enrolment start in the area.

The Framework has segregated the intervention and into 5 parts. The details are given in

Table-1

- 8 -

A. Pre Certification Training

B. Induction Training

C. Refresher Programs:

The degree of penetration of the computers all over the country has meant that there is

not much need for basic computer training on data entry skills for the enrolment staff.

Secondly the simplicity in the Client enrolment client software has meant that with basic

training of 4 to 5 days, the enrolment staff can have fairly good level of familiarity with the

client software.

The main challenges in ensuring the enrolments staff has a good level of proficiency in the

enrolment process are related to the following areas:

i. Skill at transliteration part of the software or skill at local language/ regional

languages

ii. Skill at handling the biometric equipments

iii. Capturing the biometric exceptions and in cases of worn out fingerprints

iv. Sensitivity to the requirement at seeking the details and constant from the resident

v. Awareness at the various processes like document management, and keeping them

abreast with the changes in the client software and processes.

It is recommended that agencies provide a minimum of 2 day induction training post

certification. This should include hands on practice on the enrolment client and biometric

equipment. In addition the trainees should assist the enrolment staff in live enrolment

centre before taking up the enrolment activity themselves.

The need for Refresher training was felt in view of the early evolution of the client

software and process of enrolments and changes in the documentary requirement, role

of introducers and verifiers and errors noticed in the initial phase of enrolments. The

refresher training conducted was seen as effective in updating the changes among the

enrolment staff:

1. The refresher training is especially applicable to Supervisor level of enrolment staff.

These training should be conducted every quarter for the supervisor and tech

administrators of the enrolment agencies to update their knowledge base and carry

the learning to the enrolment operators in the field.

2. An average size of 40 to 50 trainees will allow adequate interaction between trainees

and trainers. Curriculum has been developed by the Training division

3. The trainers for this program should be drawn from the regional office viz: system

analysts, quality assurance team members etc. Apart from this the services of

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trainers from empanelled training agencies can also be taken

While the training infrastructure is put in place and certification is mandated it is being

experienced that most of the EA organizations have not been able to pay adequate

attention to skill building of their staff because of reasons such as:

1. Most of these EA organizations are not evolved in their Training Architecture and

Needs. The EA organization are too caught up with immediate pressures of

deadlines on targets and therefore the role of training and skill building of the EA staff

force is put on the back burner

2. EA organizations view Training of their staff as a cost and not as a long-term

investment. Therefore, very little priority is given to this category of work force.

3. Attrition and absence of a strong feeder from which to draw enrolment staff has only

added to this challenge. The evolving processes and system of UIDAI necessitate

continuous upgrade of skills on knowledge and below average operators find it

extremely difficult to cope with this requirement.

4. To address these Aadhaar Field performance Coaching (AFPC) has been rolled out.

Under the program coaching agencies appointed by UIDAI deploy ‘Performance

Coaches’ for training & on the job performance coaching of the EA staff

corresponding to UIDAI , ROs . Among the observation template and skills to be

imparted are:

• Improvement in role specific skills of the various role holders through classroom

and on the job coaching

Better adherence to defined process

Reduction in the number of complaints for these role holders

Improvement in De-duplication data corresponding to Registrars/chosen

EAs over a period of one year

5. A pilot coaching intervention was undertaken in Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh

by sending out Master trainers amongst the operators and supervisors to see the actual

working of the enrolment staff and train them on the spot on skills gap noticed. Based on

the positive results seen in the quality of enrolment data of these coached operators, the

coaching initiative is being rolled out across all the states where Aadhaar enrolments are

underway. Coaching (training) agencies have been selected for each of the Regional

offices.

D. Aadhaar Field Coaching Program (AFPC):

◊

◊

◊

- 10 -

6. Selection of target trainees: Each coach will be allocated a cluster of Enrolment station,

having around 25 Operators/Supervisors whose quality and productivity has shown

weaknesses. The Regional office has to identify those set of operators who have shown

poor quality of enrolment data, either demographic or biometric from the Analytics

Report generated and available on the portal. Regional office may select /prepare the list

of those bottom 20%-30% operators for each EA’s working in different state at this stage.

Subsequently other operators with below threshold performance may also be identified

for expanding this intervention.

1. Master Trainers programs is intended to refresh the learning among the trainers , who

could be from the training agencies or from the regional offices, enrolment agency

trainers and trainers from empanelled training agencies who can provide training to the

supervisors or operators. Masters training can be conducted by in-house resources of the

Tech team selected PMU resource as well the Training resources at the headquarters.

This can be at a frequency of every three months so that the Refresher training may

benefit from the Masters training. The mater training programs can be run in virtual

classroom mode too. Virtual class room can serve the twin objectives of speed and scale.

2. The second possibility to conduct Masters Trainer would be in the context of training

agencies getting on-boarded from programmes like Aadhaar field performance coaching.

This programme can be run once at the start of the 2nd phase of enrolment programme in

every Regional office for the selected coaches from the empanelled agencies. In view of

the scarce time, that some of the resources of Tech team may have for this programme,

the programme can be co-anchored by the training team at the headquarters.

The use of film for training purposes has many advantages like better retention among

the target group and easy portability. The two films developed for training purposes are

oriented towards use of Operators and for the Resident. The film for operators focuses on

the key question of adherence to quality and soft skills during the process of enrolments.

The second film focuses on educating the resident who comes to the enrolment centres

and their role in the enrolment process.

A full blown training module has been developed around the operator training module

which can be used with other training interventions such as Induction, field coaching, and

refresher.

E. Master Training programs for trainers

F. Film based training approach:

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G. Program for PRI/ Urban local bodies and DLOs:

1. Training content has been developed for Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies officials

in view of the role of these institutions in dissemination of information on Aadhaar as well

as will provide necessary support for the enrolment drive through logistical support and

publicity. A power point presentation on PRI module has already been put up on UIDAI's

Website and it has been used by almost all the regional offices.

2. The training material is in the form of a ‘work book’ and a PowerPoint presentation and

has content on details of Aadhaar, demographic and Biometric information, role of

introducers, stages of collection of Biometric information and exceptions handling. The

workbook approach gives an opportunity to the trainees to identify the local context in

terms of Introducers, where the IEC can be effective, local events etc. The book has a lot

of illustrations and colour to retain attention as well as give important information like

document for POI, POA and Contact centre prominently. All the regional offices may like

to get these translated in local languages and further customised to include local

illustrations as well as local examples. This programme can be run in a three hour module.

3. Program for District level officials (DLOs): The training content on District level official is

intended to apprise the District level officers of administration and Urban Local bodies

that have a very important role in the Aadhaar enrolment process in terms of

establishment of centres, planning as well as role of introducers etc. The work book

contains exercises and discussion questions.

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V. Challenges and the Way Forward

The expectation that the Enrolment agencies will prepare the operators or supervisors for

taking the certification test has been largely achieved, though there is a difference in the

training duration and training methodology amongst the Enrolment agencies. The

training duration varies from as little as 2 to 3 days of classroom training to longer

duration as’ On the job training’. The training facility present with the enrolment

agencies also vary due to difference in the size of the enrolment agencies. In brief, while

the EAs have been able to train the operators and supervisors to clear the certification

test, they have not achieved substantial success in sensitising them on enrolment

processes as well are not able to refresh their knowledge and skills consequent to version

upgrades of client enrolment software. The EAs training can include more hands on

practice sessions on usage of application software and biometric devices. Increased focus

on resident handling skills and handling exception related scenarios is also required in

training.

The EAs need to step up their capacity building initiatives and show more commitment to

the skill development of their manpower. As regards sourcing the skilled manpower they

can make use of NSDC’s training partners. For upgrading the skills and knowledge of the

existing workforce they need to make use of the UIDAI training material that is available

on UIDAI’s website. The training material is updated regularly. In addition the orientation

training programmes will also help. EAs should also encourage their staff to make full use

of facilities like simulator. The simulator will be available to them before enrolment phase

2 starts. Their commitment is instrumental in making field coaching program a success,

which will address their quality and productivity related concerns.

UIDAI RO’s may also encourage the EAs to use the programmes like field coaching and

orientation programmes. For the Panchayati Raj and DLO programmes use of the

available content on website is recommended. RO’s feedback on the same will help

improving the course content. ROs also need to monitor the testing and certification

activity more closely so that quality of EA manpower can be ensured.

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)Planning Commission, Government of India