The Unique Identification Development Authority of India, also known as UIDAI, is a statutory authority that came into existence on 12th July 2016, under the Aadhaar Act 2016. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) oversees its operations.
Initially, UIDAI was an attached office to the Planning Commission. However, in September 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled that it is not mandatory to link Aadhaar Card for opening bank accounts, acquiring a mobile number or for school admissions. Despite this, the Government of India encouraged citizens to link their Aadhaar to Bank accounts, EPFO, MGNREGA, PDS, and Old age pensions. The UIDAI data center is based in the Industrial Model Township (IMT), Manesar. Aadhaar data is stored in approximately 7000 servers in Bengaluru and Manesar. It's important to note that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship or a substitute for any existing identity cards.
This information would be particularly useful for those preparing for the IAS Exam.
