National Population Register (NPR), National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC), Multipurpose National Identity Card (MPNIC) & Aadhaar (UID)

FAQs
1. What is the National Population Register (NPR)?

The National Population Register (NPR) is a Register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local (Village level), sub District (Tehsil/Taluk level), District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

2. What is the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC)?

The National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) will be a Register of citizens of the country. It will be prepared at the local (Village level), sub District (Tehsil/Taluk level), District, State and National level after verifying the details in the NPR and establishing the citizenship of each individual. The NRIC, therefore, would be a sub-set of the NPR.

3. Is it necessary to register for the NPR?

It is compulsory for every citizen of the country to register in a National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) as per Section 14A of the Citizenship Act 1955 as amended in 2004. The NPR is the first step towards preparation of the NRIC. Out of the universal dataset of all the usual residents, the subset of citizens would be derived after due verification of the citizenship status. Therefore, it is compulsory for all usual residents to register under the NPR.

4. Who is a usual resident?

A usual resident of a local area, for the purpose of NPR, is defined as a person who has stayed in the local area for the past 6 months or a person who intends to stay in the local area for the next 6 months.

5. Will the NPR include people who are not citizens of India?

Yes. The NPR would include citizens as well as non citizens. As long as a person is a usual resident of India, she/he would have to register under the NPR. However, the fact that a person is in the NPR does not confer a right to any person to claim citizenship. They would have to satisfy the various criteria laid down in the Citizenship Act 1955 to qualify for Indian citizenship.

6. Will Non Resident Indians (NRI) be part of the NPR?

By definition, an NRI is not a usual resident of the country. Therefore, they would not be in the NPR till they are non residents. When they come back to India and take up usual residence within the country, they will be included in the NPR.

7. What details will NPR contain?

Name of Person
Relationship to head
Father's name
Mother's name
Spouse's name
Sex
Date of Birth
Marital Status
Place of Birth
Nationality as declared
Present address of usual residence
Duration of stay at present address
Permanent residential address
Occupation/ Activity
Educational qualification
Photograph
Ten Fingerprints (i.e. Prints of ten fingers of both hands)
2 Iris Prints (prints of both eyes)

The biometrics will be collected as per the processes and standards laid down by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

8. How is a person to register for the NPR?

During the first phase of Census 2011, enumerators have visited every household and have collected the details required for the NPR in a paper format. These forms have been scanned and the data has been entered into an electronic database in two languages - the State language and in English. Biometric attributes - photograph, ten (10) fingerprints and 2 iris images are being added to the NPR database by organizing enrolment camps in each local area. The enrolment will be done in the presence of Government servants appointed for this purpose.

9. How will the public know about the biometric camps for NPR?

Publicity will be given in the local areas regarding the duration and location of the enrolment camps. Intimation slips (KYR + Form) will also be distributed house to house before commencement of such camps, wherever possible. Besides, public will be informed through various other publicity measures like banners, announcement through mikes, drum beatings, posters etc.

10. What records will be required to register for NPR?
No records are required for registration in the NPR. The details for NPR have already been collected during the visit of the enumerator to the household. An Acknowledgement slip has also been given. This should be carried to the enrolment camp. However, as part of the biometric enrolment process, the EPIC number, Passport number, Ration Card number etc. are also being collected from each household, if available. The intimation slip (KYR + Form) should be filled in for these additional data fields and carried to the camp.

11. Is any payment required for enrolment?
The enrolment will be done free. No payment of any kind should be made to anybody for this purpose. In case, any money is asked for any reason, the matter should be reported immediately to the local authorities. Complaints can also be registered over the email and over phone.

12. What is to be done if the Acknowledgement slip is lost?
The counter foil of the Acknowledgement slip will be available at the camp with the officials concerned. The relevant record pertaining to the household will have to be searched out in such cases.

13. What is to be done if the household has not been covered during the Census or if the individual has changed residence after the Census?
A new NPR form will be given at the camp and have to be filled up there. The filled-in forms will be submitted to the Government official, present at the camp. These forms will be verified by the authorities and the individuals biometric details will be captured during the next round of biometric camps.

14. What is to be done if an individual misses the camp?
Two camps will be held in every local area. If an individual misses the first camp, intimation will be given to attend the second camp. In case the second camp is also missed, chance will be given to enroll at camps that would be set up at the subdistrict level until the designated date. After the designated date, the individuals name will be struck off the NPR.

15. How can a person, whose name has been struck off from the NPR, re-enter the NPR?
A person whose name has been struck off from the NPR would be required to apply afresh with required documents. This will be verified by the designated officials. After the verification process is completed, the designated Officer would pass an order allowing the individuals to re-enter the NPR.

16. How will the data collected for NPR be authenticated?
The biographic data has been collected by a Government servant at the doorstep of the individual. The biometrics have also been collected in the presence of government servants after verification of the Acknowledgement slip. After this, the biographic data along with the photograph will be displayed in the local area for inviting claims and objections. The lists will also be scrutinized by the local officials. These lists would also be placed in the Gram Sabhas and Ward Committees. Once the vetting by the local authorities is completed, the NPR database will be finalized. This process of social audit would bring in transparency and equity.

17. What is the connection between NPR and Aadhaar (UID N umber)?
The NPR is a register of usual residents. The data collected in NPR after authentication will be sent to UIDAI for de-duplication and issue of Aadhaar Number. Thus the register will contain three elements of data - (i) demographic data, (ii) biometric data and (iii) the Aadhaar (UlD Number).

18. Does a person who has already enrolled with some other Registrar of UIDAl still have to register under NPR?
Yes. Under the NPR, certain processes like the collection of data at the doorstep of the individual by authorized persons, collection of biometrics after following a certain process, authentication through social audit, verification by authorities etc is mandatory. Thus, a person who has already enrolled with some other Registrar of UIDAI will have to register under NPR again.

19. What is the need to create an NPR?
The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database in the country with full identification and other details by registering every usual resident in the country. This would help in better targeting of the benefits and services under the Government schemes/programmes, improve NPR and prevent identity fraud.

20. What is background of this scheme?
The genesis of the scheme was in 1986, when a pilot scheme was implemented for issue of identity cards to residents in selected border areas of Rajasthan. In 1993 a legislation - The Specified Areas (Issue of Identity Cards to Residents) Bill was introduced in the Parliament but could not be passed. After the Kargil war, a Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to review the National Security system recommended that there should be compulsory registration of citizens and noncitizens living in India, which would facilitate preparation of a national register of citizens. The GoM also recommended that all citizens should be given a Multipurpose National Identity Card (MPNIC) and non-citizens should be issued identity cards of a different colour and design. The recommendation of the GoM was accepted by the Government in 2001. Following this, the Citizenship Act 1955 was amended in 2004 by inserting Section 14A, which allowed the Central Government to inter alia compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue National Identity card and maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC). The Registrar General, India was designated as the Registrar General of Citizen Registration. Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 were also framed. A pilot project was conducted at several places across the country to test the processes and procedures between 2003 and 2006. The results of the pilot were placed before an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) which recommended the creation of an NPR as the first step towards creating a National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC). The NPR would be the master data base, of which, the NRIC would be a sub set. Accordingly, the process of creating the NPR has been set in motion.

21. What are the legal provisions under which the NPR is being created?
The Citizenship Act 1955 was amended in 2004 by inserting Section 14A which provides for the following:

The Central Government may compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue National Identity Card.
The Central Government may maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens and for that purpose establish a National Registration Authority.
On and from the date of commencement of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003, the Registrar General, India, appointed under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969) shall act as the National Registration Authority and he shall function as the Registrar General of Citizen Registration.
The Central Government may appoint such other officers and staff as may be required to assist the Registrar General of Citizen Registration in discharging his functions and responsibilities.
The procedure to be followed in compulsory registration of the citizens of India shall be such as may be prescribed.

22. What are the procedures to be followed for creating the NPR?
The procedures to be followed for creating the NPR have been laid down in the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003, and the guidelines being issued from time to time.

Rule 3(4) : The Central Government may, by an order issued in this regard, decide a date by which the population register shall be prepared by collecting information relating to all persons who are usually residing within the jurisdiction of local registrar. A Notification to this effect was published in the Gazette of India on 15.03.2010.

Rule 4(1) : The Central Government shall, for the purpose of National Register of Indian Citizens, cause to carry throughout the country a house-to-house enumeration for collection of specified particulars relating to each family and individual, residing in a local area including the Citizenship status.

A house to house enumeration for collection of specified parameters relating to each family and individual residing in a local area was conducted along with the first phase of Census 2011.

23. Does the Citizenship Act 1955 cover Registration of usual residents or is it restricted to registration of Citizens alone?
The provisions of the Citizenship Act and Citizenship Rules give powers to the Central Government to lay down the procedures. The procedure as laid down envisages the creation of the NPR (a register of usual residents) as the first step towards creation of the NRIC (register of Indian citizens). Thus, the legal provisions of the Act and Rules cover the NPR as much as NRIC.

24. What are the responsibilities of the Central, State/UT Governments in the creation of NPR?
The responsibilities of the Central, State/UT Governments in the creation of NPR have been laid down in the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 200,).

Rule 5 : Every official of the Central Government, State Government, local bodies or their undertakings shall assist the Registrar General of Citizen Registration or any person authorized by him in this behalf, in preparation of the database relating to each family and every person, and in implementing the provisions of these rules.
Rule 16(1) : The State Governments shall designate an officer or a person as local registrar of citizen registration for each lowest geographical jurisdiction, that is to say, of a village or rural area or town, or ward or demarcated area (demarcated by the Registrar General of Citizen Registration) within a ward in a town or urban area who shall function as Local Registrar for the purpose of preparation of Local Register of Indian Citizens.
Rule 16(4) : For the purposes of implementing and carrying out the provisions of these rules, the district registrar, the sub-district or Taluk Registrar and the Local Registrar of Citizen Registration shall be under the supervision and control of the Registrar General of Citizen Registration.

25. What is the current status of the project?
The data collection (in paper format) for creating the NPR has been completed in the country along with House listing and Housing Census in 2010. The scanning of these filled in NPR Schedules (approx. 26 crore) has also been completed. The work of data entry of more than 14 crore individuals has been completed so far. Biometric enrolment of more than 50 lakh persons has also been done.

26. When is the data entry and biometric enrolment likely to be completed?
The work of data entry and biometric enrolment has been entrusted to two agencies - a consortium of central Public Sector Undertakings (BEL, ITIL and ECIL) and Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of India. The CPSUs are covering the coastal States/UTs, Delhi, Manipur and Nagaland. They are expected to complete the data entry by March 2012 and the biometric enrolment by December 2012. This covers a population of around 57 crore persons. As far as the States/UTs covered by DIT, Tenders have already been called for data entry and biometric enrolment. The work is expected to be awarded in October 2011 and commenced shortly thereafter. The expected date of completion is mid 2013.

27. Will Identity Cards be issued under the NPR?
A proposal to issue Resident Identity Cards to all usual residents in the NPR of 18 years of age and above is under consideration of the Government. This proposed Identity Card would be a smart Card and would bear the Aadhaar number.

28. How will the NPR database be updated?
A mechanism to continuously update the NPR database is being formulated. It is envisaged that capacity will be created at the level of the sub District to continuously update and maintain the NPR database. Besides catering to birth and deaths, alteration in name, address, etc are also being contemplated under this scheme.

29. What financial assistance is being provided to the States/UTs under this scheme?
The entire expenditure in creating the NPR is being borne by the Government of India. This includes payment of Honorarium to the officials involved in the creation of the NPR, contingent expenditures, and publicity. The cost of data entry and enrolment is directly paid to the CPSUs and DIT. Thus, the State/UT Government does not have to incur any expenditure in this regard.

30. What other benefits will the State/UT derive?
Up to 10 additional data fields are being collected (KYR +) along with the NPR. This would allow mapping of the Aadhaar Number across the State data bases without any need for the concerned State departments to duplicate the same effort. The Identity (smart) Cards that are proposed would allow off-line mode of authentication. The maintenance mechanism which is being proposed would allow the data bases to be dynamically updated. E-Governance applications can be developed on this platform. Central Schemes such as MNREGA and BPL are already working on such applications.

31. Is there any penalty for providing wrong information willfully or otherwise?
Providing any false information would attract penalties under Citizenship Rules 2003.

32. Who are the authorities which can be contacted for redressal of complaint or for getting clarification?
A proper administrative hierarchy has been provided under NPR. At the village level, it is local village officer, at Tehsil/ Taluk level, it is Tehsildar/ Mamlatadar/ Subdistrict officer and at me District level, it is District Magistrate/ Collector/ Deputy Commissioner. In each State/ UT, Director of Census Operations will co-ordinate all the matters relating to creation of PR.

http://ditnpr.nic.in/FAQs.aspx
as accessed on March 15, 2012 at 2 PM