https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Puja Khedkar Impact: UPSC’s New Aadhaar-Enabled Portal Sees Overwhelming Response, 92% Applicants Opt for Biometric Authentication

Previously, Aadhaar was one of several optional ID documents, but this is the first time the UPSC is deploying biometric-based Aadhaar authentication, enabled by a DoPT notification dated August 28, 2024.
Indian Masterminds Stories

New Delhi: In a major development aimed at simplifying and securing the examination process, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has revealed that over 92% of registered candidates on its revamped exam portal have voluntarily opted for Aadhaar-based identity verification.

The Aadhaar-linked authentication feature, introduced with the launch of the new online registration portal on May 28, marks the first time the UPSC is using biometric verification to confirm applicants’ identities.

Aadhaar Emerges as Preferred Mode of ID Verification

As per data reviewed by The Indian Express, out of 2.65 lakh accounts created on the new platform (upsconline.nic.in) till Wednesday

  • 1.13 lakh candidates completed universal registration
  • 1.05 lakh opted for Aadhaar authentication
  • Around 60,000 applicants filled the Common Application Form, while another 55,000 were in progress

This adoption rate underscores the growing trust and ease of Aadhaar-based processes among aspirants preparing for India’s most competitive exams.

“No Duplication, More Convenience,” Says UPSC Chairman

UPSC Chairman Dr Ajay Kumar highlighted the portal’s emphasis on user-friendliness and efficiency, stating, “We are continuously improving the features and user experience. The focus is on eliminating duplication – candidates won’t have to enter the same information repeatedly. Once submitted, their data becomes reusable for multiple exams.”

The portal now operates on a four-step system-

  • Account creation
  • Universal registration
  • Common application form
  • Exam application

A Shift Towards Biometric Integrity

Previously, Aadhaar was one of several optional ID documents, but this is the first time the UPSC is deploying biometric-based Aadhaar authentication, enabled by a DoPT notification dated August 28, 2024. The notification authorized the UPSC to verify identity using Aadhaar on a voluntary basis, via Yes/No or e-KYC authentication.

This move follows the controversial case of Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer accused of exceeding the permitted number of attempts in the 2022 Civil Services Examination by manipulating personal details across applications. Her candidature was later cancelled, and she was dismissed from service—an event that significantly influenced the shift towards stricter ID verification norms.

Platform to Cover 14 Major Exams

The Aadhaar-authentication system will now be part of 14 key UPSC examinations, including-

  • Civil Services Examination (CSE)
  • Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE)
  • National Defence Academy (NDA) Examination
  • Indian Engineering Services (IES)
  • Indian Forest Service (IFS), among others

Aadhaar is Voluntary, But Recommended

While Aadhaar authentication remains voluntary, UPSC has clearly stated that it is the preferred method for faster processing, “Applicants are strongly advised to use their Aadhaar Card as ID document… for effortless and seamless verification,” the Commission said in a statement on May 28.
“It becomes a permanent and common record for all examinations.”

Candidates choosing alternative IDs may face longer verification timelines, officials warned.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Union Minister Bhupendra yadav
No Immediate Plan to Regulate AC Temperatures: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav Clarifies, Says 20–28°C Cap May Be Considered Only After 2050
Punya Salila Srivastava IAS
IAS Punya Salila Srivastava Gets Additional Charge of Health Research; IRS Pankaj Bodkhe Repatriated from KVIC
education
Gujarat Achieves 100% Textbook Distribution Before Academic Year: Over 6 Crore Books Delivered
Punjab_govt_resized
Punjab: 8 IAS & 9 PCS Transferred, Amandeep Kaur-II Posted as Addl Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar
Bihar’s Makhana
Desi Makhana Goes Global: From IIT Dreams to Entrepreneurial Reality in Bihar, as Makhana from Bihar Gains International Recognition
Thermal Power
Pirpainti Power Push: Private Power Majors Show Interest in Bihar’s Largest Thermal Project at Pirpainti
IPS Smiti Chaudhary
Obituary: Haryana's Senior IPS Smiti Chaudhary Passes Away at 48 in Nashik, Leaves Behind Legacy of Integrity & Service
Indian Railways
From Isolation to Integration: New Rail Corridor Signals Hope for Naxal-Affected Bastar, Final Survey Phase of Kothagudem–Kirandul Line Underway
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Union Minister Bhupendra yadav
No Immediate Plan to Regulate AC Temperatures: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav Clarifies, Says 20–28°C Cap May Be Considered Only After 2050
Punya Salila Srivastava IAS
IAS Punya Salila Srivastava Gets Additional Charge of Health Research; IRS Pankaj Bodkhe Repatriated from KVIC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT