The government has permitted private mobile apps to incorporate Aadhaar-enabled face authentication, enhancing user access to private services. This is facilitated by the newly launched Aadhaar Good Governance portal, which streamlines the approval process for Aadhaar integration. Following a January amendment, private entities can now utilize Aadhaar for various public-interest services. The portal provides a comprehensive guide for entities seeking authentication, enabling easier operations like customer onboarding and e-KYC verification. This initiative aims to bolster transparency and inclusivity, allowing Aadhaar number holders to access services across various sectors effectively.
The government has begun permitting private mobile applications to incorporate Aadhaar-enabled face authentication. This initiative aims to enhance user access to private services and provide greater convenience by simplifying identity verification on these apps. The integration will occur through the Aadhaar Good Governance portal, which offers a standardized process for Aadhaar authentication.
What is the Aadhaar Good Governance portal
Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Aadhaar Good Governance portal to streamline the approval process for requests related to Aadhaar authentication. This follows an amendment from January that restored private entities’ access to the unique ID verification system.
MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan introduced the Aadhaar Good Governance portal, with support from UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, NIC Director General Inder Pal Singh Sethi, UIDAI DDG Manish Bhardwaj, along with other senior officials from MeitY, UIDAI, and NIC.
What it means for users
In a statement to the press agency PTI, MeitY declared: “The portal will serve as a comprehensive resource, providing detailed SOPs for entities seeking authentication on how to apply and onboard for Aadhaar authentication. Face authentication may also be incorporated into customer-facing applications of private entities, facilitating authentication anytime and anywhere.
The online platform (swik.meity.gov.in) will be operational following the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Amendment Rules, 2025, which were notified in late January 2025. This amendment aims to enhance transparency and inclusivity in decision-making processes.
The amendment permits both government and non-governmental entities to utilize Aadhaar authentication services for offering various services in the public interest for specific aims such as fostering innovation, spreading knowledge, enhancing residents’ ease of living, and improving access to services.
Service providers will also find it beneficial for various aspects including staff attendance, customer onboarding, e-KYC verification, exam registrations, and more.”
The statement further indicated that the new amendment allows Aadhaar number holders to access services effortlessly across various industries such as hospitality, healthcare, credit rating agencies, e-commerce, educational institutions, and aggregator platforms.
Krishnan remarked that the goal with this new platform and ongoing improvements to related processes and systems is to accelerate the inclusion of more use cases in areas of good governance and ease of living.
This development follows the government’s amendment of the Aadhaar Act, enabling private entities to implement Aadhaar authentication for service delivery.
In September 2018, the Supreme Court deemed Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act to be “susceptible to misuse,” which previously allowed private entities to request and use Aadhaar authentication for commercial purposes.
MeitY also mentioned that it has suggested new regulations to facilitate Aadhaar authentication by entities outside of government ministries and departments, reinforcing its pledge to enhance user-friendliness while improving ease of living and access to services.