Consider the following statements : 1. Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than three months. 2. State cannot enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhaar data. 3. Aadhaar is mandatory for obtaining insurance products. 4. Aadhaar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the Consolidated Fund of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- (a) 1 and 4 only
- (b) 2 and 4 only ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Why the answer is (b)
• The question flows from the Supreme Court's Aadhaar judgment (K.S. Puttaswamy, 2018).
• Statement 4 is correct: Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, which makes Aadhaar mandatory for subsidies and benefits funded from the Consolidated Fund of India, was upheld.
• Statement 2 is correct: the Court struck down Section 57, so the State cannot let private corporations use or share Aadhaar data by contract.
• Statement 1 is wrong: the Court allowed authentication metadata to be kept for six months (down from five years), not three.
• Statement 3 is wrong: Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for insurance, bank accounts or mobile connections.
• Hence 2 and 4 only, option (b).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 and 4 only
- Statement 1 is wrong: the metadata limit is six months.
- (c) 3 only
- Statement 3 is wrong: Aadhaar is not mandatory for insurance.
- (d) 1, 2 and 3 only
- Statements 1 and 3 are wrong; statement 4 is correct.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2020, held on 4 October 2020. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.