Mobicule Technologies is a leading provider of digital solutions for businesses across various domains. One of our flagship products is Netra Scan, a digital customer onboarding platform that enables instant and digitized verification of customer identity documents, such as Aadhaar, PAN, CKYC identifier number, Driving License, Passport etc.
Netra Scan uses AI-based offline OCR technology to convert the text within an image or scanned document into fully editable text and automatically fills the requisite forms to onboard the customer with minimum human intervention. It also performs image enhancement, face matching and liveliness detection, digital library, compression and protection, and integrated payment gateway features to ensure a seamless and secure customer onboarding experience.
One of the key challenges that Netra Scan addresses is the compliance with the KYC norms issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which mandate that Aadhaar numbers of customers should be masked while capturing and storing them. This means that only the last four digits of the Aadhaar number should be visible and the rest should be obscured or redacted.
Netra Scan has a built-in feature to mask the Aadhaar numbers automatically while scanning the documents. It also allows the user to manually mask or unmask the Aadhaar number as per their preference. This ensures that Netra Scan complies with the SEBI guidelines and protects the privacy and security of the customers’ Aadhaar data.
By using Netra Scan for KYC where Aadhaar masking is mandatory, Mobicule Technologies has helped its clients to reduce the operational costs and risks associated with manual KYC processes, improve the customer experience and satisfaction, and enhance the governance and control over the customer documents. Netra Scan is a futuristic and innovative solution that leverages the power of AI and digital technologies to simplify and streamline the customer onboarding process.
Some of the benefits of Aadhaar masking are:
– It protects the privacy and security of the Aadhaar holders by preventing the exposure of their full Aadhaar number to anyone.
– It reduces the risk of identity theft, impersonation, duplication, and other fraudulent activities involving Aadhaar.
– It complies with the UIDAI guidelines and the Supreme Court judgement that mandates Aadhaar masking for all organizations managing Aadhaar.
– It ensures that Aadhaar is used only for verification purposes and not for any other unauthorized or illegal purposes.
– It enhances the trust and confidence of the Aadhaar holders in the Aadhaar system and its usage.
Why Aadhaar masking was made mandatory in India.
Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to the residents of India. It is used as proof of identity and address for various purposes such as availing government subsidies, opening bank accounts, applying for loans, etc.
However, Aadhaar also contains sensitive personal information such as biometric data, date of birth, gender, etc. that can be misused by fraudsters or hackers if exposed. Therefore, to protect the privacy and security of the Aadhaar holders, the UIDAI issued a circular in 2018 that made it mandatory for all organizations managing Aadhaar to mask or blackout the first eight digits of the Aadhaar numbers (physical or digital) from the Aadhaar card copies captured as part of the proof of identity.
This means that only the last four digits of the Aadhaar number should be visible and the rest should be obscured or redacted. This way, the Aadhaar number can still be used for verification purposes without revealing the full number to anyone. This also helps in preventing identity theft, impersonation, duplication, and other fraudulent activities involving Aadhaar.
Aadhaar masking is also in compliance with the Supreme Court judgement of 2018 that upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar but also imposed certain restrictions on its use and storage by private entities. The judgement also recognized the right to privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution of India.
Therefore, Aadhaar masking was made mandatory in India to safeguard the interests and rights of the Aadhaar holders and to ensure that their Aadhaar data is not compromised or misused by anyone.
The market for Aadhar-masking in India
Aadhaar masking is a requirement for all businesses in India that collect Aadhaar cards as proof of identity from their customers, employees, vendors, etc. These include banks, NBFCs, Fintechs, telecom operators, insurance companies, mutual funds, stockbrokers, e-commerce platforms, hotels, film halls, and many others.
According to a report by AuthBridge Research Services Pvt Ltd, a leading provider of Aadhaar masking solutions, the Aadhaar masking market size in India is estimated to be around Rs 100 crore per annum. The report also states that the demand for Aadhaar masking solutions has increased by 50% in the last two years due to the growing awareness and enforcement of the UIDAI norms and the Supreme Court verdict.
The report further predicts that the Aadhaar masking market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25% over the next five years, driven by factors such as:
– The increasing adoption of digital customer onboarding and verification processes by various industries that require Aadhaar as proof of identity.
– The rising need for data security and privacy compliance in the wake of data breaches and cyberattacks involving Aadhaar data.
– The growing innovation and competition among Aadhaar masking solution providers that offer features such as AI-based offline OCR, image enhancement, face matching, liveliness detection, compression and protection, digital library, integrated payment gateway, etc.
Therefore, Aadhaar masking is a significant and growing business opportunity in India that caters to the needs and expectations of both Aadhaar holders and Aadhaar users.
