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    How to download masked Aadhaar card

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    Story outline

    • Individuals who are worried about disclosing their Aadhaar number or who wish to hide details of Aadhaar number do so by opting for a Masked Aadhaar.
    • According to UIDAI, you can mask your Aadhaar number in your downloaded e-Aadhaar using the Mask Aadhaar option.
    On May 29, the central government reversed its May 27 warning, which advised citizens to share only masked Aadhaar cards to prevent misuse. The advisory has been withdrawn by the centre due to the risk of misinterpretation of the press release, and it has been removed with immediate effect. Users of Aadhaar cards have been cautioned to use caution when using and sharing their UIDAI Aadhaar numbers

    Individuals who are worried about disclosing their Aadhaar number or those who wish to hide details of Aadhaar number can do so by opting for a Masked Aadhaar. According to UIDAI, you can mask your Aadhaar number in your downloaded e-Aadhaar using the Mask Aadhaar option

    What is Masked Aadhaar
    Masked Aadhaar numbers are created by substituting the first eight digits of the Aadhaar number with characters such as "xxxx-xxxx," leaving only the final four digits exposed.

    Under masked Aadhaar only the final four digits of the 12-digit Aadhaar number are visible in the document, protecting the subscriber's identity by masking the first eight digits. This ensures that the card cannot be misused even if it is lost or misplaced.

    How to download Masked Aadhaar
    You can download masked Aadhaar in three ways: Aadhaar number, Enrollment ID and Virtual ID. When downloading eAadhaar, you can choose from regular Aadhaar and Masked Aadhaar.
    Step 1: Visit official website of the UIDAI.
    Step 2: Select 'My Aadhaar' from the drop-down menu.
    Step 3: Select the 'Aadhaar Card Download' option.
    Step 4: Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number or other unique identifier (UID)
    Step 5: Now, choose the 'Masked Aadhaar' option.
    Step 6: Verify that the captcha code is correct.
    Step 7: Select 'Send OTP' from the drop-down menu. (Alternatively, you can choose 'Enter TOTP.')
    Step 8: Enter the OTP and download your Aadhaar or e-Aadhaar card, which is masked.
    The Aadhaar letter PDF Password will be in 8 characters.
    Combination of the first four letters of your name (as in Aadhaar) in CAPITAL letters and Year of Birth in YYYY format.
    Example: Your name is ANISH Y KUMAR Your Year of Birth is 1989.
    Then your e-Aadhaar password is ANIS1989
    If the name is Kush and the year of birth is 1990, the password will be KUSH1990
    If the name is Ravi and the year of birth is 1998, the password will be RAVI1998

    When Masked Aadhaar can be used?
    Masked Aadhaar can be used for eKYC in situations where providing the Aadhaar number is not required. It just displays your Aadhaar's last four digits.

    According to a circular issued by UIDAI on October 23, 2018, based on the opinion of the Learned Attorney General of India, physical copies of the Aadhaar card, as well as e-Aadhaar, masked Aadhaar, and offline electronic xml provided by UIDAI (if voluntarily offered by the client) can be accepted as Officially Valid Documents for KYC purposes.
    ( Originally published on Jan 03, 2022 )

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