People will need to go to the websites of telecom service providers (TSPs) or call up their phone helplines for getting a onetime password (OTP) to link their SIM to Aadhaar from December 1, in a process that will be totally automated and without any human intervention.
These two ways of verifying one’s SIM to
Aadhaar have been approved by Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI) now.
Earlier, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had
proposed that citizens could also do the linking through OTP on sending
as SMS to a number provided by the telecom operator but UIDAI
did not find the same “safe”, and has proposed that the linking must be
done by generating an OTP either by logging onto the TSP’s website or
placing a call to the latter’s phone helpline, a senior government
official told ET.
Also, one needs to have a mobile number registered
with Aadhaar to go through either of the two processes – or you will
need to first visit an Aadhaar Centre to update your mobile number in
Aadhaar records.
On the web portal, a resident will first enter
the mobile number which he needs to re-verify. The TSP will generate an
OTP on the entered mobile number which the person will enter on the
website. “This will confirm that the mobile to be re-verified is
available with the resident,” as per UIDAI. A consent message, as per
Aadhaar Act, will be displayed on the website and resident will enter
his Aadhaar number after checking the consent box.
The TSP will generate an OTP request to UIDAI
and the resident will then get an OTP on the number he already has
registered with Aadhaar, which he will enter to re-verify his SIM with
Aadhaar. Aadhaar number entered on TSP’s website will be masked and
encrypted during transmission to UIDAI. The process will be similar if a
person calls up the TSP’s IVR helpline from the number he wishes to
re-verify. The IVR will play a consent message to him before a person
enters his Aadhaar number and then receives an OTP on his Aadhaar
registered mobile number. He will subsequently enter this OTP on the
IVR.
“The IVR language should be in English, Hindi
and other regional languages of the respective states/circles,” UIDAI
has said. TSPs have been asked to ensure the security of voice channels,
keep the process completely automated, ensure the security provided is
at par with security of banking transactions through IVR and also make
sure that the application that interacts with the IVR masks or encrypts
the Aadhaar number as soon as it is received by the application, for
ensuring robust security and secrecy of Aadhaar number.
“TSPs will ensure that Aadhaar number is not accessible the operator’s customer relationship executives,” UIDAI has said.
Regarding the website, operators have been
asked to ensure the same is secure against known cyber-attacks and are
secured through certificates.
“TSP’s must ensure that they have Service
Engine Optimisation services for their websites and their sites feature
on top during Google searches. If TSPs can provide these services
through a user name and password authentication which may already exist on their websites for customers, this will further enhance the security,” the UIDAI has said.
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