Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said last year in a statement that the plastic or PVC Aadhaar smart cards are not usable as the QR code often becomes dysfunctional during such unauthorised printing at some vendor or shop. Also, there
could be a possibility of sharing Aadhaar details (personal sensitive demographic information) without informed consent with some devious elements.
could be a possibility of sharing Aadhaar details (personal sensitive demographic information) without informed consent with some devious elements.
UIDAI also stated that Aadhaar letter or its cutaway portion or downloaded versions of Aadhaar on ordinary paper or mAadhaar are perfectly valid and people should not go for the so-called Aadhaar smart card as it may make them fall prey to the ploys of fraudsters who are printing Aadhaar on a plastic/PVC sheet and charging anywhere between Rs 50 to Rs 300 or more.
The authority also asked people to keep away from such shops or vendors. UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Panday 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 further said in his statement, “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."
Worth mentioning here is that if a person loses his Aadhaar card, they can download their Aadhaar card free of cost from UIDAI website 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.
