June 27, 2025 | New Delhi: In a significant move to enhance transparency in public recruitment exams, the Government of India has notified the voluntary use of Aadhaar authentication by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) during examinations and recruitment processes.
Notification Highlights
The Department of Financial Services, under the Ministry of Finance, published this update in the Gazette of India via notification S.O.837. It allows IBPS to use Aadhaar-based authentication services—either through a simple Yes/No check or e-KYC—on a voluntary basis.
This step comes under Rule 5 of the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance Rules, 2020, and is supported by the Aadhaar Act, 2016. It follows approval from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) after consulting the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
IBPS: Now a Public Exam Authority
IBPS has been designated as a ‘Public Examination Authority’ under the new Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. This designation reinforces the importance of securing examination systems in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sectors.
Why This Matters
By enabling Aadhaar-based identity verification, this move aims to:
- Prevent impersonation and fraud during exams
- Protect genuine candidates from unfair competition
- Streamline verification and reduce paperwork
- Ensure fair, fast, and transparent recruitment in BFSI jobs
For example, during past recruitment cycles, instances of proxy candidates and forged IDs delayed results and harmed credibility. Aadhaar use can now reduce such risks.
Voluntary and Privacy-Respecting
Importantly, Aadhaar authentication is not mandatory. Candidates can opt in voluntarily. This respects privacy and complies with existing data protection laws, while improving the integrity of public examinations.
Public Trust and Governance
This initiative aligns with India’s Good Governance vision. As recruitment scams have affected public confidence in recent years, this step will help rebuild trust in the examination system.
It also reduces the burden on exam administrators. By using biometric and digital verification, the process becomes quicker and more reliable.
Looking Ahead
IBPS conducts exams for millions of aspirants each year. These include banking and insurance sector jobs that form a key part of India’s financial workforce.
With Aadhaar authentication now an option, we can expect fewer disruptions, faster verification, and greater transparency in selections going forward.
