Plastic & PVC Aadhaar Smart Card not usable: UIDAI

Aadhaar letter or its cutaway portion or downloaded versions of Aadhaar on ordinary paper or mAadhaar are still valid

Image: AFP/ File/ Representational

NEW DELHI: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Tuesday issued a notice regarding the usage of Plastic/PVC Aadhaar Smart. In a press release issued on PIB's website, the authority specified that this kind of Smart Card is not usable.

Plastic or PVC Aadhaar Smart Card is not usable: UIDAI https://t.co/7W022FxPDd

— Aadhaar (@UIDAI) February 6, 2018

The main reason behind this is that the QR code on the Plastic/PVC Aadhaar Smart cards commonly becomes dysfunctional during such unauthorised printing at some vendor/shop. Another reason that the UIDAI mentioned in the press release is the uninformed sharing of Aadhaar details (personal sensitive demographic information) with devious elements. It is also to be noted that Aadhaar letter or its cutaway portion or downloaded versions of Aadhaar on ordinary paper or mAadhaar are perfectly valid and can be used. ALSO READ: Here are 11 questions answered by UIDAI on Aadhaar UIDAI’s CEO, Dr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey, said “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.” He added “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” 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 no need to print it on plastic/PVC card or get it laminated.