Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Caution first: On the Aadhaar advisory

Caution first: On the Aadhaar advisory

The UIDAI should not downplay the possibility of leaked Aadhaar numbers being misused

In a bizarre (विचित्र, अनोखा, अजीब) reversal (उलटाव, तबदीली) on Sunday, the Union government withdrew a notification from a Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) (भारतीय विशिष्ट पहचान प्राधिकरण) office cautioning people against sharing photocopies of their Aadhaar card, just two days after the advisory (सलाहकार, आधिकारिक संचार, प्रेस विज्ञप्ति) was issued, claiming (दावा करना, राज्य करना, घोषित करना) that it would be “misinterpreted (misunderstood, misconceived, mistaken)”. The May 27 notification that was issued by the Bengaluru Regional Office of the UIDAI urged (advise, recommend, suggest) people to use the masked (छिपा हुआ, ढका हुआ) Aadhaar number facility — that can be downloaded from the UIDAI website — and which displays only the last four digits of the Aadhaar (Aadhaar number is a 12-digit random number issued by the UIDAI (“Authority”) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority. Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident of India, may voluntarily enrol to obtain Aadhaar number. Person willing to enrol has to provide minimal demographic and biometric information during the enrolment process which is totally free of cost) number. This was a sensible advisory. The masked Aadhaar (it displays only the last four digits of the Aadhaar number and it can be shared with others without the risk of being deceived. Masked Aadhaar does not expose any personal information about the user. This reduces the chances of users being the victims of fraud) facility has been in place (working, ready, set up, established, arranged, in order.) since 2018 and this came about following a report by the Centre for Internet and Society (The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness, internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfiguration of social processes and structures through the internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa) that publicly available datasets had sensitive details such as full Aadhaar number details and also included bank account details of individuals. The dangers of providing the full Aadhaar number to several agencies — the use of the Aadhaar card and the number for various purposes today has only multiplied exponentially (in a way something is increasing quickly/rapidly by large amounts; rapidly, dramatically, aggressively, abruptly) — are evident in the way these numbers have been used by fraudsters (a person who gets money by cheating people; cheater, deceiver, hoaxer, scamster) for criminal purposes such as identity theft, Know Your Customer (KYC) (it refers to the process of identity and addresses verification of all customers and clients by banks, insurance companies and other institutions either before or while they are conducting transactions with their customers)-related fraud among others in recent years, and which have been documented in news reports. The UIDAI has itself registered far more (कहीं अधिक, बहुत अधिक) potential (संभावना) fraud cases related to the issue highlighted (प्रमुखता से दिखाना, रेखांकित करना, जोर देना) above in recent years compared to the past. Other scams that are of a higher order (एक उच्च क्रम का, सबसे बड़ा महत्व) have also been revealed recently, related to biometrics theft that have allowed scamsters (घोटालेबाज) to steal welfare (कल्याण) benefits at the expense of (की कीमत पर, की हानि पर) genuine beneficiaries. The Internet is rife (भरा हुआ, व्याप्त, परिपूर्ण) with leaked data and this poses (constitute, present, create, cause, produce, give rise to (a problem, danger, challenge, or difficulty)) a major threat to user privacy.

The UIDAI has, however, been ambivalent about the inherent (अंतर्निहित, गहरी जड़ें) dangers in the indiscriminate (thoughtless, unthinking, unconsidered, casual, careless, aimless, foolish, mindless, impulsive, ill-considered) use of the Aadhaar number or the Aadhaar card by citizens, as evidenced in its series of flip-flops (a sudden reversal of something, particularly a policy/plan) on the issue even before this latest withdrawal notice. There seems to be a contradiction (conflict, clash, disagreement, opposition, inconsistency, incongruity, mismatch, variance; denial, rebuttal, countering, counterstatement, opposite) of views within the authority (authorities, officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the government, the administration, the establishment, the bureaucracy, the system) on the issue of potential misuse of the Aadhaar number. On the one hand (it is used to introduce the first of two contrasting different, points, facts, or ways of looking at something. It is always followed later by “on the other hand” or ‘on the other’), in statements advising caution and user discretion (choice, option, judgement, preference, disposition, volition; desire, will) in revealing one’s Aadhaar number, it is seeking (try, attempt, strive, work, aim) to treat these as sensitive information just like the biometrics provided by citizens to the authority. Yet, on the other, it has sought to universalise (make (something) available for all) the open use of the Aadhaar as an identity document with missionary (propagandist) zeal (passion, committedness, ardour, devotion, fervour) and has downplayed (downgrade, play down, minimize, de-emphasize, put down) the risks of doing so. This ambivalence (a state of having mixed feelings about someone or something; equivocation, uncertainty, unsureness, doubt, indecision, irresolution, irresoluteness, hesitation) does not help at all. The UIDAI must popularise (publicize) the use of the masked Aadhaar facility as a start and rethink ways to tighten the scrutiny over how Aadhaar numbers are issued and utilised even as law enforcement (imposition, implementation; forcing, compelling, demanding) agencies crack down on (get tough on, take severe measures against, clamp down on) data leaks and websites carrying unmasked Aadhaar-related information.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.advisory (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सलाहकार, आधिकारिक संचार, प्रेस विज्ञप्ति
English Meaning - official communication, press release, bulletin, message, missive, statement, report, notification, announcement.

2.Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भारतीय विशिष्ट पहचान प्राधिकरण
English Meaning - The Unique Identification Authority of India is a government body. UIDAI is created with an objective to issue Unique Identification Numbers UID), which is also known as ‘Aadhaar number’ to all the residents of India.

3.bizarre (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विचित्र, अनोखा, अजीब
English Meaning - strange, peculiar, odd, funny, outlandish, eccentric, unconventional, unexpected, unfamiliar, abnormal, atypical, unusual.

4.reversal (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उलटाव, तबदीली
English Meaning - turnaround, turnabout, about-face, U-turn.

5.claim (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दावा करना, राज्य करना, घोषित करना
English Meaning - state, declare, assert.

6.masked (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - छिपा हुआ, ढका हुआ
English Meaning - concealed, hidden, covered up (of important information).

7.far more (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - कहीं अधिक, बहुत अधिक
English Meaning - much more.

8.potential (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संभावना
English Meaning - possible, likely, probable.

9.highlight (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रमुखता से दिखाना, रेखांकित करना, जोर देना
English Meaning - underline, emphasize, underscore.

10.of a higher order (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - एक उच्च क्रम का, सबसे बड़ा महत्व
English Meaning - of the greatest importance/significance.

11.scamster (noun)

Hindi Meaning - घोटालेबाज
English Meaning - a person who scams people; a person who cheats people to get their money.

12.welfare (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याण
English Meaning - state benefit, benefit payment, public assistance, social security.

13.at the expense of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - की कीमत पर, की हानि पर
English Meaning - at the cost of, at the loss of; at the sacrifice of.

14.rife (with) (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - भरा हुआ, व्याप्त, परिपूर्ण
English Meaning - full of, filled with, fraught (with), charged with, loaded with.

15.inherent (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अंतर्निहित, गहरी जड़ें
English Meaning - intrinsic, innate, built-in, ingrained, deep-rooted.

16.downplay (verb)

English Meaning - downgrade, play down, minimize, de-emphasize, put down.

17.misinterpreted (adjective)

English Meaning - misunderstood, misconceived, mistaken.

18.urge (verb)

English Meaning - advise, recommend, suggest.

19.Aadhaar (noun)

English Meaning - Aadhaar number is a 12-digit random number issued by the UIDAI (“Authority”) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority. Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident of India, may voluntarily enrol to obtain Aadhaar number. Person willing to enrol has to provide minimal demographic and biometric information during the enrolment process which is totally free of cost.

20.masked Aadhaar (noun)

English Meaning - it displays only the last four digits of the Aadhaar number and it can be shared with others without the risk of being deceived. Masked Aadhaar does not expose any personal information about the user. This reduces the chances of users being the victims of fraud.

21.in place (phrase)

English Meaning - working, ready, set up, established, arranged, in order.

22.The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) (noun)

English Meaning - The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness, internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfiguration of social processes and structures through the internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa.

23.exponentially (adverb)

English Meaning - in a way something is increasing quickly/rapidly by large amounts; rapidly, dramatically, aggressively, abruptly.

24.fraudster (noun)

English Meaning - a person who gets money by cheating people; cheater, deceiver, hoaxer, scamster.

25.Know Your Customer (KYC) (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to the process of identity and addresses verification of all customers and clients by banks, insurance companies and other institutions either before or while they are conducting transactions with their customers.

26.biometrics (noun)

English Meaning - the metrics with human (physical & behavioural) characteristics used for identification and access control.

27.pose (verb)

English Meaning - constitute, present, create, cause, produce, give rise to (a problem, danger, challenge, or difficulty).

28.ambivalent (adjective)

English Meaning - having mixed feelings about someone or something; in two minds; equivocal, uncertain, doubtful, indecisive, inconclusive, irresolute, undecided, unresolved, fluctuating, wavering.

29.indiscriminate (adjective)

English Meaning - thoughtless, unthinking, unconsidered, casual, careless, aimless, foolish, mindless, impulsive, ill-considered.

30.flip-flop (noun)

English Meaning - a sudden reversal of something, particularly a policy/plan.

31.contradiction (noun)

English Meaning - conflict, clash, disagreement, opposition, inconsistency, incongruity, mismatch, variance; denial, rebuttal, countering, counterstatement, opposite.

32.authority (noun)

English Meaning - authorities, officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the government, the administration, the establishment, the bureaucracy, the system.

33.on the one hand (phrase)

English Meaning - it is used to introduce the first of two contrasting different, points, facts, or ways of looking at something. It is always followed later by “on the other hand” or ‘on the other’.

34.discretion (noun)

English Meaning - choice, option, judgement, preference, disposition, volition; desire, will.

35.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, attempt, strive, work, aim.

36.universalise (verb)

English Meaning - make (something) available for all.

37.missionary (adjective)

English Meaning - propagandist.

38.missionary (noun as modifier)

English Meaning - campaigner, crusader, champion, promoter, advocate, proponent.

39.zeal (noun)

English Meaning - passion, committedness, ardour, devotion, fervour.

40.ambivalence (noun)

English Meaning - a state of having mixed feelings about someone or something; equivocation, uncertainty, unsureness, doubt, indecision, irresolution, irresoluteness, hesitation.

41.popularise (verb)

English Meaning - publicize.

42.enforcement (noun)

English Meaning - imposition, implementation; forcing, compelling, demanding.

43.law enforcement agency (LEA) (noun)

English Meaning - government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. For example - Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and etc.

44.crack down on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - get tough on, take severe measures against, clamp down on.