Aadhaar Is No More Birth Proof For ESIC Beneficiaries! Know The Complete Details

Aadhaar was introduced by the government of India as an identification and unification of data processes. In recent times, Aadhaar has become a leading identification with most of the services taking place by verifying the details mentioned in the Aadhaar card. However, recently many organisations such as the Employees Provident Fund Organisation scrapped the usage of Aadhaar as a proof of date of birth.

These guidelines were also issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India. Previously, the UIDAI also underwent a risk assessment test to assess the viability of using Aadhaar card as a birth proof. Let us find out the details of the recent circular by UIDAI.

Read More : TRAI Proposes To Connect Your SIM With Aadhaar

What Are The New Guidelines Related To Aadhaar?

The UIDAI, which is the regulatory authority for Aadhaar, issued instructions regarding the use of Aadhaar as a birth proof. An order dated 14 March 2024 had directed the offices to halt the use of Aadhaar as a Birth Proof. Consequently, the Employees State Insurance Commission has also been directed to not use Aadhaar in the seeding process for its beneficiaries, effective from 27 July, 2024.

The previous pending cases in which there was a mismatch, they will also be dealt with as per the standing procedure. The ICT Headquarters pressed and ultimately directed all offices to implement these directives. All regional, joint and deputy directors, deans and medical superintendents have been directed to disseminate this information to all the offices under them.

This implies the Insured Persons under the ESIC scheme and their dependents will have to present other documents as a birth proof apart from Aadhaar. This includes a Birth certificate, etc.

In the past, UIDAI had asked all agencies that use Aadhaar to authenticate identities to delete it from the list of acceptable documents for verifying a person’s date of birth in December 2023. The authority said this was an iteration of its stated position and had been highlighted by different High Court judgments. Now, Aadhaar ID cards come with a prominent disclaimer that they are “a proof of identity, not of citizenship or date of birth.”

Conclusion

From the positions of the court of law and the department, i.e., UIDAI, it is now clear that Aadhaar can not be used as a proof of birth or citizenship, but merely as a proof of identification. Stay updated about more such government guidelines with Jaagruk Bharat!

For more information, reach out to the UIDAI through their redressal page here.