InstructionsforUIDAssignment(RolePlay)

TheUIDwasstartedbythepreviousUPAgovernmenttoprovideallcitizenswithaUniqueIDnumber,
alsoknownasAadhaar.ThenewNDAgovernmentwantstoreviewthisprogram.ThePrimeMinisterhas
convenedapublicconsultationwithsomeoftheinterestedpartiesassociatedwiththeUIDandwith
someordinarypeopleaffectedbytheUID.Therearethreemainquestionstodiscuss:
A) theUIDprojectshouldbemadecompulsoryforallpeopleornot.
B) theUIDshouldbelinkedtoservicessuchasPDS,NREGA,pensions,scholarshipsandother
paymentsornot.
C) theUIDshouldbestoppedandreplacedbytheNPRorbothshouldcontinuetogether.

Theconsultationwillproceedasfollows:
Eachpersonwillget2minutes(bytheclock)togiveabriefoverviewoftheirpositionontheissue
athand.(35minutes)
AfterthatthePrimeMinisterwillfacilitateadiscussionamongstparticipantsoneachofthethree
questionsgivenbelow.Participantswillbeallowedtostatetheirposition,askquestionstoother
participants,criticiseorsupportotherparticipants,andrespondtoquestionsasked.(40minutes)
ThePrimeMinisterwillthenwrapupthediscussion,allowingforalastroundofcommentsfrom
people(30secondseach)andannounceaverdict.(15minutes)

Eachstudenthasbeenassignedonerolefromthelistbelow.
Pleasepreparetobehaveasifyouarethepersoninreality.Youmaybringclothes/itemsor
propsetc.andyouneedtospeakfromtheperspectiveofthatpersonduringtheentire
discussion.
PleasereadabouttheUIDandNPR(NationalPopulationRegister)fromonlinesourcesandother
readingsemailedtoyou.Pleasesearchforspecificinformationregardingyourrolesothatyou
canprovidesubstantivecontentandmakeaspecificargumentforyourposition.

Thesearesomequestionstokeepinmindwhiledoingyourresearch:
1. WhataresomeoftheproblemstheUIDsystemissupposedtosolve?Whataretheproposed
solutionsusingtheUIDsystem?Discussanycriticismthatyoufoundofhowtheproblemsare
definedandthesolutionsproposed?
2. Whatkindofidentificationofpeopleisrequired?Howaccurateistheformofidentification?Are
thereanylegalrestrictionsregardingdatagathering?Whohasauthorisationtoworkonthe
backend?Whocanupdatethedatabase?Governmentpersonnelorprivateworkersorboth?
Howistheinformationkeptsecure?
3. WhatlegalframeworkdoestheUIDbelongto?Isitgivingcitizenship,entitlements,allowing
somelegalactivity,accesstosomeplace/institution,allthosepurposes?Istherealawunder
whichthisprojectisrun?HowistheUIDprojectfunded?Ifthereisaprivateentity,areitsgoals
differentfromthegoalsofthepublicsystem?Howwillprivatesystemmakemoney?
4. Caninformationfromthisdatabasebeaddedtootherdatabases?Caninformationfromother
databasesaddedtothis?Canthisbeusedtocreateprofilesofindividuals?(linkcreditcard,
passport,PANcard?)?Whohasauthoritytolinkthedatabasetootherdatabasesand/orcreate
profiles?Ifdatabasesaretobecombinedandprofilescreated,howwillabusebeprevented?
Howwillunlawfultargetingofindividualsbeprevented?Whatlawsgovernthecollectionofsuch
information?
5. WhataretheproblemsbeingfacedbypeopleingettingNREGAwages,pensions,scholarships,
andgettingrationfromthePublicDistributionSystem?CantheUIDsolvethoseproblemsorare
otherkindsoftechnologicalinterventionneeded?Cantechnologysolvethoseproblemsatallor
dotheyrequireabehavioural/culturalchangeinpeople?

EvaluationCriteria
6marksforpresentation(2each)
Speakingstyle(hesitantorconfident)
Voice(strong,loudorsoft/inaudible)
Behaviourduringdiscussion(followingtherulesandnotinterrupting,speakinginturnandraising
hands)andstayingincharacter
6marksforcontent(2each)
Haveyoudoneadequateresearchonyourcharacterandhaveprovidedenoughinformationon
yourpositionduringthepresentation/discussion?
Haveyouaskedrelevantquestionstootherparticipants?
Haveyouprovidedsubstantiallyimportantornewinformationtothegroup,whichhasinfluenced
thedirectionofdiscussion?

Rolesforeachstudent(tobeassigned)
1.PrimeMinisterConvener
TheUIDwaspromotedbytheUPAgovernmentashelpingtoreducecorruption,increase
accountabilityandpromotetransparencyingovernmentservicedelivery.ThenewNDAPrime
MinisterhasheardalotofcriticismoftheUIDprojectandiswonderingwhetheritisactually
helpingtoachievetheaboveobjectives.Hewantstoconsultwithabroadgroupofpeopleto
decidewhether
A)theUIDprojectshouldbemadecompulsoryforallpeopleornot.
B)theUIDshouldbelinkedtoservicessuchasPDS,NREGA,pensions,scholarshipsandother
paymentsornot.
C)theUIDshouldbestoppedandreplacedbytheNPRorbothshouldcontinuetogether.
2.Head,PlanningCommission
HehaspromotedtheUIDprojectfromtheverybeginning.HebroughtNandanNilekanito
implementtheprojectandhelpedcreatetheUIDAIin2009.Hebelievesprivatefirmswillonly
havetheexpertiseandabilitytoexecutesuchaproject.
Hefirmlybelievesthatcorruptioncanbecontrolledandaccountabilitycanbeimprovedby
makingtheUIDmandatoryforallandlinkingittotheprovisionofallgovernmentschemes.
3.NandanNilekani,HeadUIDAI
Hefirmlybelievesthatcorruptioncanbecontrolledandaccountabilitycanbeimprovedby
makingtheUIDmandatoryforallandlinkingittotheprovisionofallgovernmentschemes.He
cameupwiththenameAadhaarandbelievesthatUIDcanhelpcitizensgettheirbasicrights.
HehadthesupportofseveralministersandMPsofthelastUPAgovernment,includingthe
PlanningCommissionHead
4.TechnicalOfficer,UIDAI
Hehassetupthebackenddatabaseandfiguredouthowtoproviderealtimedataaccessibilityfor
identityverification.HehasbuilttheentiretechnicalarchitectureoftheUIDsystem.Heknows
howthesystemissupposedtoworkandwhataretheproblemsandflawsinthesystem.He
believesthesystemcanbeverysecureevenwithremoteaccess.
5.BiometricOfficer,UIDAI
Hehaschosenthespecificmachinesandsetuptheaccuracylevelsforbiometriccaptureand
identification.Heunderstandstheproblemsthathaveemergedduringtheenrolmentprocessin
ruralareasandisfiguringoutsolutions.
6.MinisterofHomeAffairs
HeisinchargeofcreatingtheNationalPopulationRegister(NPR)whichisadatabaseofall
citizensofIndia.NPRbegancollectinginformationforpeoplelivinginborderandcoastaldistricts
inIndiaalongwiththe2011census.Theprimarypurposewasameasureagainstinfiltration,
illegalimmigrationandcounterterrorism.
NPRandUIDwereduplicatingeachothersworkuntilthepreviousgovernmentdividedthe
countryintotwoandgavesomestatestoUIDandotherstatestoNPRtodotheworkof
enrolment.
7.MinisterofFinance
HeisunhappythatduplicationofworkhasbeengoingonwiththeUIDandtheNPRsinceboth
aredemandingmoneyfromthegovernment.HebelievesthattheNPRisthecorrectwaytogo
forwardbecauseithasalegalbasisintheCitizenshipAct.TheUIDdoesnotyethavealegalbasis
exceptfortheUIDAIBillwhichhasnotyetbeenpassedbyParliament.

8.SmallPrivateFranchiseeFirmenrollingusers,Jharkhand
ThisisoneofmanysmallITfirmthathasobtainedacontractfromtheUIDAItoenrol100,000
peopleintotheUIDAIinJharkhand.Thisisactuallyasubcontractfromalargerfirmwhichhas
gottheoriginalcontract.TheywillgetRs.5perenrolment.
Theyhavebeenfollowingtherulesforenrolmentbuthavebeenfindingitdifficulttogetaccurate
biometricdataofpeoplebecauseoftechnicalproblems.Theyhavebeentryingtodealwiththis
byvariousmeanssuchasstatingthatpeopledonthavefingersorthattheireyeshavecataract.
9.LargePrivateFranchiseeFirmenrollingusers,Delhi
ThisisoneofthefewlargefirmsthathasreceivedacontractfromtheUIDAItoenrol5million
userswithin6months.Ithasbeensubcontractingthisworktosmallercompaniesbecauseofthe
hugenumbersinvolved.
Theyhaveboughttherequiredequipmentfortheenrolmentbutitiscumbersomeandexpensive
tocarryitaround.Therehavebeenmanyproblemsintheverificationprocess.Theyareundera
lotofdebtandneedtofinishthetargetintimetogetthepaymentfromUID.
10.Biometricspecialist
HeunderstandsallthedetailsofcreatingabiometricdatabaseandhasdoneprojectsinEurope.
Hehasneverseensuchalargeprojectofbiometricsimplementedandseesthisasabig
experiment.Heiskeenlystudyingtheproblemsarisingintheimplementation.Heisnot
employedbytheUIDandisanindependentexpert.
11.ExpertfromCenterforInternetandSociety,Bangalore
HeiscriticalofthetechnicalaspectsoftheUIDprojectandbelievesthattheprojectisproneto
hackingattacks,hasseveralsecurityflaws,andcancompromisethedataofpeople,especially
duetoremoteaccess.
HealsobelievesthatprivacyofindividualswillbecompromisediftheUIDisabletolinkdifferent
databaseslikePANcard,passport,creditcardetc.whicharenotlinkedtoday.
12.NREGAactivist
Hisorganisationhasbeentryingtobringaccountabilityandreducecorruptioninimplementation
ofNREGA.Hewantstomakesureaccurateamountofwagesarepaidandtheyarepaidontime
toallworkersunderNREGA.
13.PDSactivist
HisorganisationispromotingtheChattisgarhmodelofPDS.Hewantstoreducecorruptionand
increaseaccountabilityofPDSalloverIndia.
14.Ratanlalji,OldvillagerfromJharkhandwhereUIDwasmadecompulsoryforpensionpayments
Heusedtogetpensionpaymenteverymonthincashgivenbythegramsevak.HegotRs.100
everymonth.HisentitlementisRs.120permonth.
WhentheUIDwasmadecompulsory,hecouldnotgetaUIDbecausehisfingerprintscouldnotbe
recorded.Hispensionpaymenthasbeenstoppedforthelast6months.
15.Meera,YoungwomanfromaremotevillageinRajasthanwhereUIDwasmadecompulsoryforNREGAwages
payment
SheusedtogetNREGAwagespaidbythevillagesecretary.ShegotRs.84perdayofwork.She
gotthemoneyafterthreemonthsdelay.
WhentheUIDwasmadecompulsory,shegotherUIDnumber.Whenthetimecametogetthe
payment,thebiometricmachinerefusedtorecogniseherfingerprintandshewasdeniedthe
wages.
16.Farhan,YoungmanfromHimachalPradeshwhereUIDwasmadecompulsoryforrationcardsupplies
Therationshopgavecheapriceandsugaronceamonthbuttheshopkeeperalwaysgaveless
thantheallottedamount.
WhentheUIDwasmadecompulsory,hewasabletogettheUIDandgethisrations.Butthe
shopkeeperstillgavelessthantheallottedamount
17.Rajesh,YounghomelessboyinDelhiwithnoidentificationpapers
HewastoldhecangetanIDthroughtheUIDsystemifsomeoneintroduceshim.Hecannotget
anyotherIDbecausehedoesnothaveanaddressoranyotherdocumenttogiveasIDproof.He
needsanIDsohecanaccessgovernmentservicesandgetlistedasabelowpovertylinepersonor
getPDSbenefits.
ThelocalNGOworkerfromKutumbhaspromisedtobetheintroducersohecangetaUID.
18.NGOworkerfromKutumb
HewastoldbythelocalUIDenrolmentfranchiseethathomelesspeoplecanbegivenaUIDifa
localNGOworkerwhohasknownthemintroducesthem.Hegot15homelesspeopleinhis
localityenrolledintheUIDsystem.
Onedaythepolicecamelookingforhimbecauseoneofthehomelesspeoplewasfounddead
andtheUIDpaperwasinhispocketlistingtheNGOworkerastheintroducer.Hefaced
questioningforseveralhoursduetothis.NowheisunwillingtointroduceRajesh.
19.IndependentTechnicalExpertonSecurityandHacking
Heisarepresentativefromarespectablesecurityfirmthatspecializesinfindingloopholesand
hackinglegitimatewebsitesanddatabasestoinformthepromotersaboutsecurityflaws.
HehasbeentestingtheUIDdatabaseandhasraisedsomeconcernsregardingit.