The Ministry of Electronic & Information Technology (MoE&IT) has directed all central and state departments and institutions to immediately stop the publication of sensitive individual data like Aadhaar card numbers in the public domain. If such data has already been published, they have been asked to pull it down immediately.
"Any such content already published and still appearing publicly should be taken down with immediate effect," the MoE&IT said in an official memorandum.
MoE&IT has warned all ministries and departments to stop publishing personal data in the public domain as doing so would tantamount to an offence and could land those responsible in the jail for up to three years under the Aadhaar Act 2016.
Now, most government agencies have started clearing publicly available individual data, and are set to comply with MoE&IT's direction.
CBDT has forwarded the MoE&IT's note, a copy of which is with DNA, to their joint secretaries and chief commissioners to avoid any such publication.
MoE&IT has sent this internal memorandum on April 25 to all secretaries of the government of India and states' chief secretaries to refrain from such publication with "immediate effect".
On March 23, DNA has revealed how your Aadhaar number could be in the public domain with or without your knowledge. This provides all information about you, like, your name, father's name, full address, date of birth, complete bank details, cell phone numbers, passport details, PAN Card number, caste/religion details, and more.
Apart from the details mentioned above, it also includes the amount conferred to them as scholarship, account number, bank name, IFSC Code, beneficiary address, state, district, pin code, and details of the university or college. This includes the roll number, stream (commerce, science, arts), percentage, course details, institute address, the phone number of the Institute, and its e-mail id.
This newspaper exposed that central government ministry and government-affiliated colleges and universities who have various Excel sheets uploaded to their website which contains sensitive information about those who may have provided their Aadhaar card number and other details to avail welfare schemes provided by the central government.
