How to link Aadhaar with mobile SIM using OTP

While linking Aadhaar with mobile SIM has been made compulsory, you shouldn't worry if you haven't done it so. You don't need to visit the store of your service provider in order to do so. The whole process of linking 12-digit Unique Identity Number or UID with the mobile SIM has been made simpler by the government. The Department of Telecom has introduced three new methods to link the registered mobile number with Aadhaar - OTP based, app-based and IVRS facility. Subscribers can verify or re-verify their mobile numbers from anywhere in the country irrespective of which service area their mobile connection belongs to.

As far as senior citizens are concerned, telecom operators are directed to offer verification facility to subscribers at their doorsteps for the convenience of those with disability, illness or old age. They are further directed to build an online mechanism - which can be through the website or any other means - to request such service.

Here's the process of linking Aadhaar and mobile number using a one-time password

You need to message Aadhaar number from their registered mobile numbers at a number provided by their service providers.

The service providers will then do a demographic verification of the number.

After the verification process, the service provider will send OTP request to UIDAI.

UIDAI will send the OTP on the mobile number

The user will send this OTP to the registered mobile number

The e-KYC verification process gets complete with this

Aadhaar-based e-KYC is essential for subscribers going for new SIMs. Further, the government has asked mobile operators to re-verify existing prepaid and postpaid customers, with the help of the 12-digit unique identity number. The re-verification exercise is scheduled to be completed by early 2018. The Indian telecom market with subscriber base of over a billion is second-largest in the world after China.