A decade ago, the government devised a strategy to provide Indian people with a distinct identity. According to statistics provided on its website, UIDAI, the agency authorized to carry out this duty, has created Aadhaar cards for more than 123 crore Indian people.
The government urged individuals to link their Aadhaar cards to a variety of services and instruments in order to accelerate and enhance the service delivery system, which was challenged in the Supreme Court for violating people’s privacy. In response to these requests, the UIDAI has developed a disguised Aadhaar.
The masked Aadhaar function enables users to conceal their 12-digit unique identification in the downloaded Aadhaar or e-Aadhaar. Only the last four numbers are visible, while the rest are crossed out. The disguised Aadhaar card will also display demographic information, a picture, and the QR code. Users can use this version for e-KYC in areas where disclosing Aadhaar numbers is not required. This version of Aadhaar is just as legitimate as any other official identification document. Individuals with a valid Aadhaar number can download disguised Aadhaar from the UIDAI website. It should be noted that this service is only available if the individual’s cell phone number is registered in the UIDAI database.
Masked Aadhaar is only available through e-Aadhaar, a password-protected electronic form of Aadhaar. The Aadhaar Act considers e-Aadhaar to be equally legitimate as the physical copy of Aadhaar.
The following are the methods to download masked Aadhaar:
Step 1: Navigate to the official website of UIDAI (https://uidai.gov.in).
Step 2: Click ‘Download Aadhaar‘ under ‘My Aadhaar.’
Step 3: Under the ‘I Have’ section, choose Aadhaar, VID, or Enrolment ID.
Step 4: Fill in the blank columns with all of the necessary information. Choose ‘Request OTP’ and then click ‘I Agree.’ (Note – If the TOTP functionality is selected for verification, the TOTP must be typed in the area given to validate the request. The TOTP is shown on the mAadhaar app.)
Step 5: A one-time password will be issued to the registered cellphone number of the Aadhaar cardholder. The user will be able to download masked Aadhaar after entering this OTP by clicking on the ‘Download Aadhaar’ option after entering this OTP.
You can request a masked Aadhaar with the following details of the Aadhaar card.
If you already have an Aadhaar card, input the 12-digit Aadhaar number, complete name, and pin code into the portal.
To download the card, enter your 28-digit enrollment number, complete name, and pin code.
To download the disguised Aadhaar, enter the 16-digit Virtual ID on the webpage.
UIDAI's Masked Aadhaar, like normal Aadhaar, is legitimate evidence of identification. Individuals may use it while travelling by plane or rail, as well as for hotel reservations, among other things. This version of Aadhaar is valid for the duration of the individual’s life. It cannot, however, be used to get government benefits like subsidies or other social programs.
The downloaded Aadhaar card copy is password secured. To access the disguised Aadhaar copy, input the password, which may then be printed and shared as needed.