Unique Identification Authority of India
Full Form of UIA
What is UIA?
The Unique Identification Authority of India is the central government body responsible for issuing the Aadhaar number, a 12-digit unique identification number issued to every resident of India. Established in 2009 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the authority was initially set up as an attached office and later constituted as a statutory authority under the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Headquartered in New Delhi, the UIA operates through a vast network of enrolment and update centres across the country, collecting biometric and demographic data of residents including fingerprints, iris scans, and photographs. The Aadhaar number has become essential for accessing numerous government welfare schemes, subsidies, opening bank accounts, filing income tax returns, and verifying identity for mobile phone and gas connections. It serves as an accepted proof of identity and address anywhere in India. The authority has enrolled over 1.3 billion residents, making it one of the largest biometric identification systems in the world. For competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, and banking examinations, questions about UIA and Aadhaar frequently appear in the general awareness and current affairs sections.
UIA का फुल फॉर्म
भारतीय विशिष्ट पहचान प्राधिकरण
Example
The UIA has issued Aadhaar cards to over 1.3 billion residents across India, making it the world's largest biometric identification programme.