Aadhaar gearing for ‘new look’? IT Ministry says no such plan, speculation ‘not correct’ — Here's all we know

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has clarified that it has no plans for a “new look” for Aadhaar.

In an official statement addressing speculation that the government identity card is set for a redesign, complete with new colours, layout (change to only photo or QR code) and holographic elements by 2026-end, the Centre stated that no such plans are in motion.

What did the Ministry state?

According to the IT Ministry, reports and social media posts on “how Aadhaar’s look may change” are causing confusion and are “NOT CORRECT”.

“There is no plan for any such changes. People in general are advised to ignore such reports and social media posts and refer to official communication from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) through its official social media handles and press releases issued through the Press Information Bureau (PIB),” it stated.

Why is Aadhaar an important document?

In India, citizens can use Aadhaar as an identification document. Besides this, they can also use Aadhaar proof for subsidies and government benefits, as well as KYC for banks and financial products such as insurance and investments. Aadhaar is also used as an ID for pension accounts, bank accounts, direct benefit transfers, public provident fund (PPF), employees' provident fund (EPF), and is linked to PAN (income-tax returns) and voter cards. You can also book your railway ticket and apply for education, jobs and healthcare using Aadhaar as ID.

Aadhaar in 2026: Here's what's new

According to an official statement from the ministry in March this year, Aadhaar is now the world's largest biometric identity system with approximately 134 crore live holders. Maintained by UIDAI, it has completed over 17,000 crore authentication transactions.

This was submitted by Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and Information Technology in Lok Sabha on 18 March 2026.

• Aadhaar authentication service is provided to authorised entities, using which an individual’s Aadhaar number and related identity information are verified with the Aadhaar database.
• This verification confirms the individual’s identity using OTP, biometric (fingerprint, iris, face) or demographic details to deliver the services offered by such entity.
• Aadhaar Face Authentication used by authorised entities is based on AI/Machine Learning technology, which enables accurate authentication of face biometrics.
• Any entity desiring to use Aadhaar authentication services must be onboarded with UIDAI as Authentication User Agencies (AUA) or KYC User Agency (KUA), in accordance with the provisions of the Aadhaar Act.

• Every AUA or KUA must retain authentication logs for two years. These logs can be accessed by Aadhaar number holders or can be shared for grievance redressal and dispute resolution. After two years, the logs are archived for five years and subsequently deleted.
• The Aadhaar ecosystem is designed to protect privacy, with demographic data remaining encrypted both at rest and in transit. The Aadhaar Act also imposes restrictions on the collection, retention, access, and use of Aadhaar data.
• UIDAI has implemented a three-tier audit framework, comprising the Self-Compliance Audit, the Information Security Annual Audit, and the GRCP (Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Privacy) Audit, for entities in the Aadhaar Authentication Ecosystem.

Security: UIDAI launches Bug Bounty Programme

UIDAI on 11 March announced that it had launched its first structured Bug Bounty Programme to further strengthen the security of the Aadhaar system, with a panel of 20 experienced security researchers and ethical hackers.

Participants will receive rewards based on the seriousness of the issue — divided as per vulnerabilities into Critical, High, Medium, and Low risk. The programme allows cybersecurity experts to look for possible weaknesses in some of UIDAI’s key digital platforms and report genuine security gaps responsibly.

“The new Bug Bounty Programme adds another layer of protection by inviting independent experts to help identify any hidden risks. Such programmes are widely used around the world by major technology platforms to make digital systems safer and more future ready,” the release stated.