NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD IN INDIA
A national identity card is a portable document, typically a plasticized card with digitally-embedded information, that someone is required or encouraged to carry as a means of confirming their identity. Since the WorldTradeCenter tragedy of September 11, 2001, many countries have discussed issuing national identity cards as a way to distinguish terrorists from the law-abiding population. Generally speaking, the key element of the card is its number, which is used as an administrative mechanism for a variety of purposes. In many countries the number is used as a general reference to link the card holder’s activities in many areas. With the advent of magnetic stripes and microprocessor technology, these cards can also become an interface for receipt of government services. Thus the cards become a fusion of a service technology, and a means of identification. Many types of Identity (ID) cards are in use, in one form or another in numerous countries around the world. The type of card, its function, and its integrity vary enormously. Around a hundred countries including a number of so-called Third World countries have official, compulsory, national IDs that are used for a variety of purposes. Many developed countries, however, do not have such a card. Amongst these are the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, the Nordic countries and Sweden. Those that do have such a card include Germany, France, Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain. The USA’s Social Security Number (SSN) is a de facto national identifier, which is mandatory.
REASON TO GO FOR NATIONAL ID CARD: ID cards are established for a variety of reasons, and generally vary from country to country. a) The threat of insurgents or political extremists is one common motive behind the use of this ID card. b) Another common motive is to establish the Law and Order situation. c) A possible solution to illegal immigration d) In Pakistan, the cards is used to enforce a quota system. e) In China, they are used as a tool of social engineering f) In the United Kingdom, current proposals for a national ID card are fuelled by the need to develop a document which is acceptable to other European countries, as well as a belief that the scheme might help fight crime. g) In Australia, the purpose of the proposed card was to fight tax evasion. h) In New Zealand, it’s to establish Social Welfare entitlement i) The Dutch card has the dual purpose of helping to improve government administrative efficiency, while playing a key role in dismantling border controls j) In Spain, Portugal, Thailand and Singapore, ID cards have been linked to national registration systems, which in turn form the basis of government administration.
LIMITATIONS WITH NATIONAL ID CARDS: Many fears that a national identify card would compromise an individual's right to privacy and lead to the misuse of governmental power. The U.S. and Canada are among countries where a national identify card has been discussed but, so far, not seriously advocated by the government. Today, applying for any new connection, be it bank, electricity etc require some sort of identity authentication. But typically, a driver's license, passport, or other card with your name and an embedded photo is sufficient.
a) A national ID card system will not prevent terrorism
b) A national ID card system would not protect us from terrorism, but it would create a system of internal passports that monitor citizens' movements and would significantly diminish the freedom and privacy of law-abiding citizens.
c) A national ID would require a governmental database of every person containing continually updated identifying information, which is likely to contain many errors.
d) Some questions are still not clear as to what proof is used to decide who gets a card, what happens when an ID card is stolen etc.
e) ID cards can foster new forms of discrimination and harassment.
THE STORY IN INDIA SO FAR: A number that’s unique to you, your photograph, and your fingerprint. All will be rolled into a smart card to give you your identity wherever you are in India. That’s what an elaborate exercise, undertaken by the Registrar General of India. The ambitious Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) scheme became become operational on 26th May, 2007 with the Registrar General of India D K Sikri releasing the first 'National Identity Card' under a pilot project at Narela, New Delhi. The Rs. 45-crore pilot project, which was initiated four years ago, planned to provide two million cards to people above 18 years in 13 districts across 12 States and the Union Territory of Puducherry. While the pilot project was launched in November 2003, The Citizenship Act, 1955, was amended in December 2003, to provide for compulsory registration of all citizens and issue of a national identity card. The card would give the citizen a 16-digit ID number and would be delivered by India Post in a tamper-proof customized cover that is both waterproof and able to sustain extreme temperatures. The microprocessor chip, provided by Philips, would work on system developed by the National Informatics Centre and is embedded in the plastic card designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. It can be read offline and at present it will be available at police stations. Individuals too can purchase the reader. The16 KB chip, has three specific usages, validation, updating and additional applications, for which some 6 KB to 8 KB space would be available. It would contain biometric data of the cardholder.
ADVANTAGES: The card will contain the basic information about an individual which is non-editable. However the individual will be able to add their other personal information likes bank account details, credit card details, Certificate, membership details, details of all other details of this person should need to include in the electronic chip which is provided in the card etc. So, it will save the complications of carrying 20 different cards and remember their 20 different codes, since here one single card, accepted as authentic document will contain all the information. Any where in India everybody should need to carry this card to get transportation and accommodation etc. All forms and application is should ask Citizenship number which is provided on the card as well as individuals name. Card should have expiry date in every five years.
Once made mandatory, this will solve the question of having or not having a voter ID card once for all. It is well known fact that many citizen of India do not possess a voter ID card and yet, there are people with all fake voter ID card, Ration card etc which are difficult to detect. The card is designed in such a way that over and above the visible picture of the individual, there is another digital picture within the magnetic chip along with the thumb impression of the person for whom it is issued, which is non-duplicable even if someone try to make a duplicate copy of the card or carry someone else card by somehow changing the picture.
It can safe guard against misuse of this card since if required it can be tested in the proper machine, which will show these key information, which are otherwise in invisible digital form. This card, like any other National ID card can be helpful in addressing issues like insurgency, illegal migrant, fake voter ID etc. This will definitely make the administration mechanism easier, since the Govt. will have the database of each and every citizen of the country.
PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMANTING: Ideas are always good, but the actual benefit lies in implementing the idea in a proper way. And that involves a lot of problems. The most important problem is, to whom it is to be issued and to who should not. Though the Citizenship Act is modified, many times, who to be considered as a citizen of India is still a debatable issue in terms of really identifying a person.
Though it’s a great idea, the fact is, there are political pressures against it, since it can go against the interest of some individual political leader’s personal interest of vote bank. Whatever be the extent of implementing difficulties, it’s a dream project, while realized in reality will make a lot of differences in India and about India, within and outside the country.
The ultimate aim — to cover the entire country — is likely to take many years as the Current Census figures put the number of 18-year-olds in India at over 70 crore. But as the wise says, patience may be bitter, but its fruit is always sweet.
REASON TO GO FOR NATIONAL ID CARD: ID cards are established for a variety of reasons, and generally vary from country to country. a) The threat of insurgents or political extremists is one common motive behind the use of this ID card. b) Another common motive is to establish the Law and Order situation. c) A possible solution to illegal immigration d) In Pakistan, the cards is used to enforce a quota system. e) In China, they are used as a tool of social engineering f) In the United Kingdom, current proposals for a national ID card are fuelled by the need to develop a document which is acceptable to other European countries, as well as a belief that the scheme might help fight crime. g) In Australia, the purpose of the proposed card was to fight tax evasion. h) In New Zealand, it’s to establish Social Welfare entitlement i) The Dutch card has the dual purpose of helping to improve government administrative efficiency, while playing a key role in dismantling border controls j) In Spain, Portugal, Thailand and Singapore, ID cards have been linked to national registration systems, which in turn form the basis of government administration.
LIMITATIONS WITH NATIONAL ID CARDS: Many fears that a national identify card would compromise an individual's right to privacy and lead to the misuse of governmental power. The U.S. and Canada are among countries where a national identify card has been discussed but, so far, not seriously advocated by the government. Today, applying for any new connection, be it bank, electricity etc require some sort of identity authentication. But typically, a driver's license, passport, or other card with your name and an embedded photo is sufficient.
a) A national ID card system will not prevent terrorism
b) A national ID card system would not protect us from terrorism, but it would create a system of internal passports that monitor citizens' movements and would significantly diminish the freedom and privacy of law-abiding citizens.
c) A national ID would require a governmental database of every person containing continually updated identifying information, which is likely to contain many errors.
d) Some questions are still not clear as to what proof is used to decide who gets a card, what happens when an ID card is stolen etc.
e) ID cards can foster new forms of discrimination and harassment.
THE STORY IN INDIA SO FAR: A number that’s unique to you, your photograph, and your fingerprint. All will be rolled into a smart card to give you your identity wherever you are in India. That’s what an elaborate exercise, undertaken by the Registrar General of India. The ambitious Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) scheme became become operational on 26th May, 2007 with the Registrar General of India D K Sikri releasing the first 'National Identity Card' under a pilot project at Narela, New Delhi. The Rs. 45-crore pilot project, which was initiated four years ago, planned to provide two million cards to people above 18 years in 13 districts across 12 States and the Union Territory of Puducherry. While the pilot project was launched in November 2003, The Citizenship Act, 1955, was amended in December 2003, to provide for compulsory registration of all citizens and issue of a national identity card. The card would give the citizen a 16-digit ID number and would be delivered by India Post in a tamper-proof customized cover that is both waterproof and able to sustain extreme temperatures. The microprocessor chip, provided by Philips, would work on system developed by the National Informatics Centre and is embedded in the plastic card designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. It can be read offline and at present it will be available at police stations. Individuals too can purchase the reader. The16 KB chip, has three specific usages, validation, updating and additional applications, for which some 6 KB to 8 KB space would be available. It would contain biometric data of the cardholder.
ADVANTAGES: The card will contain the basic information about an individual which is non-editable. However the individual will be able to add their other personal information likes bank account details, credit card details, Certificate, membership details, details of all other details of this person should need to include in the electronic chip which is provided in the card etc. So, it will save the complications of carrying 20 different cards and remember their 20 different codes, since here one single card, accepted as authentic document will contain all the information. Any where in India everybody should need to carry this card to get transportation and accommodation etc. All forms and application is should ask Citizenship number which is provided on the card as well as individuals name. Card should have expiry date in every five years.
Once made mandatory, this will solve the question of having or not having a voter ID card once for all. It is well known fact that many citizen of India do not possess a voter ID card and yet, there are people with all fake voter ID card, Ration card etc which are difficult to detect. The card is designed in such a way that over and above the visible picture of the individual, there is another digital picture within the magnetic chip along with the thumb impression of the person for whom it is issued, which is non-duplicable even if someone try to make a duplicate copy of the card or carry someone else card by somehow changing the picture.
It can safe guard against misuse of this card since if required it can be tested in the proper machine, which will show these key information, which are otherwise in invisible digital form. This card, like any other National ID card can be helpful in addressing issues like insurgency, illegal migrant, fake voter ID etc. This will definitely make the administration mechanism easier, since the Govt. will have the database of each and every citizen of the country.
PROBLEMS IN IMPLEMANTING: Ideas are always good, but the actual benefit lies in implementing the idea in a proper way. And that involves a lot of problems. The most important problem is, to whom it is to be issued and to who should not. Though the Citizenship Act is modified, many times, who to be considered as a citizen of India is still a debatable issue in terms of really identifying a person.
Though it’s a great idea, the fact is, there are political pressures against it, since it can go against the interest of some individual political leader’s personal interest of vote bank. Whatever be the extent of implementing difficulties, it’s a dream project, while realized in reality will make a lot of differences in India and about India, within and outside the country.
The ultimate aim — to cover the entire country — is likely to take many years as the Current Census figures put the number of 18-year-olds in India at over 70 crore. But as the wise says, patience may be bitter, but its fruit is always sweet.
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