Context

DigiLocker has become a digital placeholder for administrative and government-related documents. Now Students have the option of viewing their scores and even obtaining their verified marksheets.

About DigiLocker

DigitLocker app is part of the Indian government’s paper-free initiative aimed at letting users access, verify, and store essential documents in a digital wallet so that they are easy to retrieve and present to officials when required. 

• Affiliated Ministry & Programme :  it is a flagship initiative of Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under Digital India programme. 
• Launched in : 2015
• Utility : The app can be used when applying for a passport, reviewing marksheets, or proving one’s identity during travel. 
• Legality : The issued documents in DigiLocker system are deemed to be at par with original physical documents as per Rule 9A of the Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries providing Digital Locker facilities) Rules, 2016.
• Current Coverage  :  As of early May, the app has over 270 million registered users, while nearly 6.7 billion documents like Aadhaar, insurance policy papers, PAN records, and driving licenses have been retrieved through it.

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Significance of DigiLocker

Benefits to Citizens

• Important Documents Anytime, Anywhere. 
• Authentic Documents, Legally at Par with Originals. 
• Digital Document Exchange with the consent of the citizen. 
• Faster service Delivery- Government Benefits, Employment, Financial Inclusion, Education, Health. 

Benefits to Agencies 

• Reduced Administrative Overhead: Aimed at the concept of paperless governance. 
  • It reduces the administrative overhead by minimizing the use of paper and curtailing the verification process. 
• Digital Transformation: Provides trusted issued documents.
  • Issued Documents available via DigiLocker are fetched in real-time directly from the issuing agency. 
• Secure Document Gateway: Acts as a secure document exchange platform like payment gateway between trusted issuer and trusted Requester/Verifier with the consent of the citizen. 
  • It has standard security measures in place including 2048 Bit RSA SSL encryption, multi-factor authentication (OTP verification), consent systems, timed log outs, and security audits.
• Real Time Verification: Provides a verification module enabling government agencies to verify data directly from issuers after obtaining user consent.

Issues with DigiLocker 

• Accessibility Challenges : Users who are unfamiliar with smartphone operations or struggle with app navigation may encounter difficulties in downloading DigiLocker, utilizing OTPs, and retrieving their credentials without assistance. 
  • This is particularly challenging for individuals who are unable to read. 
• Data Matching Complexity :  Individuals with multiple names, aliases, inconsistent spellings, or slightly mismatched certificates may face obstacles in accessing their documents through DigiLocker. 
  • The app requires submitted details to precisely match the issuer’s data, leading to issues even with minor variations such as capitalization or initials.
• Inconsistent Document Review Policies : There is a lack of consistency among different government authorities and law enforcement bodies in India regarding the acceptance of virtual documents through DigiLocker. 
  • While some insist on digital documents, others mandate original hard copies, creating confusion and inconvenience for users.