Know More About Masked Aadhaar And Its Uses

‘Masked Aadhaar’ was introduced by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to protect Aadhaar card holders from fraud. According to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) website, the “Mask Aadhaar option allows you to mask your Aadhaar number in your downloaded e-Aadhaar. Masked Aadhaar number implies replacing of first 8 digits of Aadhaar number with some characters like “xxxx-xxxx” while only last 4 digits of the Aadhaar Number are visible.”

Notably, masked Aadhaar cards and regular Aadhaar cards are the same. The only difference is that the first 8 digits of your Aadhaar number will be hidden on the masked Aadhar, and only the last 4 digits will be visible. A regular Aadhaar will display the complete 12-digit Aadhaar number of a citizen. Masked Aadhaar does not reveal any personal information about the user. This reduces the chances of users being victims of fraud. Other than the Aadhaar number, all the information on a masked Aadhaar card remains the same.

While a masked Aadhaar card works as proof of identity and is acceptable while traveling and booking tickets, it cannot be used to avail government schemes and services. A user is required to submit the regular Aadhaar card to avail various government schemes.

How To Download Masked Aadhar:
> Visit the official website of the UIDAI.
> Click on the ‘My Aadhaar’ option at the top of the page, and click on ‘Download Aadhaar’.
> Enter the Aadhaar number and captcha.
> Now click on the ‘Send OTP’ button. Now you will get a check box for “Download Masked Aadhaar”. Check this box.
> Enter the OTP number, and you will be in a position to download your masked Aadhaar in pdf format.