Aadhaar fails the women who need it most

India’s push towards digital governance has been hailed as a transformative force for efficiency and inclusion. Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identification system, was introduced with the promise of streamlining welfare distribution, reducing fraud and ensuring direct benefit transfers (DBT). However, for millions of informal women workers — domestic workers, street vendors, sanitation labourers and agricultural workers — Aadhaar has become more of a barrier than an enabler.

While the government claims that 99 per cent of adults possess an Aadhaar card (UIDAI, 2023), the real issue lies in its usability. Authentication failures, particularly among marginalised communities, have led to the denial of medical care, exclusion from welfare benefits and increased financial vulnerability. These are not isolated glitches but systemic flaws disproportionately affecting the marginalised section.

In hospitals, Aadhaar-based biometric authentication is required for accessing critical healthcare services. While the intention is to curb fraud, it has resulted in delays and denials of medical care, particularly for women and newborns.

Women recovering from childbirth, especially after surgeries like C-sections, often experience authentication failures due to swelling, dehydration or medical complications. A study by Khera and Somanchi (2021) documented biometric failures delaying maternal or neonatal care, with the worst impact on informal workers. Similarly, a 2019 study by Dreze et al found that Aadhaar authentication failures led to the denial of healthcare services in Rajasthan and Jharkhand, particularly for pregnant women and the elderly.

A recent study by the authors surveyed 200 migrant workers in Delhi and found that 36 per cent of women faced biometric authentication failures during pregnancy-related hospital visits. Many were unable to access prenatal checkups, emergency obstetric care and neonatal services, reinforcing Aadhaar’s role as a tool of exclusion rather than empowerment.

In rural healthcare systems, IT for Change documented cases in Mysuru where women were denied maternal benefits due to authentication failures. Similarly, a newspaper survey (2021) in Delhi found that 40 per cent of respondents faced authentication errors, obstructing their access to essential healthcare. A report published in another weekly (2019) revealed that even Aadhaar holders frequently experience fingerprint mismatches, leading to wrongful exclusions from life-saving services.

The issue also affects access to food. Aadhaar-linked authentication in the Public Distribution System has resulted in ration denials due to fingerprint mismatches and system failures, as per a magazine report (2024). Similarly, a newspaper (2019) reported that Aadhaar verification failures have worsened women’s access to welfare, making essential maternal healthcare contingent on unreliable biometric verification.

Aadhaar authentication failures also obstruct access to financial support. The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which promises Rs 5,000 aid for maternal health and postnatal care, is often delayed due to Aadhaar-based verification issues. For women in informal, labour-intensive work, these delays force many to resume strenuous labour shortly after childbirth.

According to National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21), 42 per cent of working women returned to work within six weeks of childbirth, largely due to financial distress. Aadhaar-linked payment failures exacerbate this situation (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2021). A study by Dreze, Khera and Somanchi (2021) found that 29 per cent of eligible women faced disruptions in receiving PMMVY benefits due to Aadhaar authentication issues. Similarly, Shukla, Ray and Basu (2023) documented Aadhaar verification hurdles in West Bengal, leading to disbursement delays.

These failures heighten postpartum financial insecurity and health risks, raising questions about whether digital governance truly fosters equity. Ensuring timely disbursement and alternative verification mechanisms is critical for protecting maternal welfare.

Aadhaar authentication failures disproportionately impact women in rural and informal sectors, where structural barriers make digital access difficult. The digital divide in India is not just about internet access but also about who controls technology and who is excluded from its benefits.

A 2023 GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report found that 31 per cent of Indian women do not own a smartphone with internet access, making Aadhaar’s face authentication feature inaccessible.

Women engaged in agriculture, domestic work and construction often experience fingerprint wear and tear, leading to higher rejection rates than men (Ravi et al., 2022).

A World Bank (2022) study found that 42 per cent of women in rural India do not have independent access to digital financial services, reinforcing male-controlled Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.

These systemic barriers prevent women from controlling their finances and accessing social benefits, further deepening economic exclusion.

Aadhaar was introduced to make welfare access seamless and efficient. However, a one-size-fits-all approach to digital authentication has led to unintended exclusions. The issue is not the idea of Aadhaar itself, but its rigid, technology-dependent implementation. Instead of dismantling the system, targeted reforms can make it more inclusive.

(i) Alternative verification methods: The government must allow alternative authentication methods. OTP-based authentication or manual ID verification should be permitted when Aadhaar biometric verification fails, preventing wrongful exclusions.

(ii) Healthcare exemptions: No hospital should deny life-saving treatment due to fingerprint mismatches or system errors. A universal exemption policy should be implemented to ensure that Aadhaar failures do not become barriers to urgent medical care.

(iii) Decentralised verification: Empowering panchayats and local governing bodies to verify welfare eligibility can reduce dependence on flawed biometric authentication. This would prevent exclusions and make Aadhaar a tool of inclusion rather than restriction.

If Aadhaar continues to exclude rather than empower, its promise of inclusion will remain a hollow slogan. For India’s millions of informal women workers, digital authentication failures are not a minor inconvenience; they are often a matter of survival. The real test of Aadhaar is not how many people possess it, but how many can effectively use it when they need it most.

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