UIDAI cautions public against plastic or PVC Aadhaar smart card

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has cautioned the public against the use of plastic or PVC Aadhaar smart cards saying that these are often not usable as the QR code commonly becomes dysfunctional during unauthorised printing at some vendor outlets.

Also, there could be a possibility of sharing Aadhaar details (personal sensitive demographic information) without informed consent, the authority has pointed out.

UIDAI reiterated that Aadhaar letter or its cutaway portion or downloaded versions of Aadhaar on ordinary paper downloads or mAadhaar are perfectly valid and people should not yearn for the so-called Aadhaar smart card, often provided by unauthorised outlets as they could fall prey to unscrupulous elements who are printing Aadhaar on a plastic / PVC sheet and charging anywhere between Rs50 and Rs300 or more.

The authority has asked people to keep away from such elements / shops / vendors. ''So-called Aadhaar Smart card is totally unnecessary and a waste as during such printing its QR code often becomes dysfunctional. The Aadhaar card or the downloaded Aadhaar card printed on ordinary paper or mAadhaar is perfectly valid for all kind of uses,'' Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO, UIDAI, said.

''If a person has a paper Aadhaar card, there is absolutely no need to get his/her Aadhaar card laminated or obtain a plastic Aadhaar card or so called smart Aadhaar card by paying money. There is no concept such as smart or plastic Aadhaar card'', added Pandey.

In case of loss of Aadhaar card, it can be downloaded his Aadhaar card free of cost from https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in. The print out of the downloaded Aadhaar card, even in black and white form, is as valid as the original Aadhaar letter sent by UIDAI. There is absolutely no need to print it on plastic/PVC card or get it laminated, he said.

The UIDAI CEO has advised people to be watchful for the protection of their privacy and recommended not against sharing their Aadhaar number or personal details with unauthorised agencies for getting it laminated, or printed on plastic cards.

UIDAI has also warned unauthorised agencies against collecting Aadhaar information from the general public for printing of Aadhaar cards as collecting such information or unauthorised printing or aiding any one doing so amounts to a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment under Indian Penal Code and Aadhaar Act, 2016.