India's 3rd Digital Life Certificate Campaign Raises Accessibility Concerns Among Senior Citizens

Campaign aims to digitise pension verification but faces challenges among elderly users.

India has launched its third nationwide Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaign recently, a digital drive aimed at pension verification for senior citizens.

Under the Ministry of Public Personnel and Grievances, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and State Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, the campaign is expected to cover 800 cities across India and operate from 1 to 30 November 2024.

This initiative enables pensioners to submit their life certificates, also known as Jeevan Praman, digitally, either from home, through mobile apps, or at select Pension Disbursing Banks and Indian Post Payment Bank (IPPB) centers.

Super senior citizens can also request doorstep services Gramin Dak Sevaks provides through India Post Payments Bank.

Dr Singh explained the campaign’s approach, calling it a "Whole of Government and Saturation" model. He highlighted the collaboration among 19 banks, 57 Pension Welfare Associations, IPPB, and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), collectively running over 1,900 camps to facilitate the pension verification process nationwide.

He added, “This aligns with Prime Minister Modi’s push for digital empowerment, ensuring a more accessible system for India’s pensioners.”

Digital Accessibility Challenges Remain for Pensioners

Despite these efforts, many senior citizens find it difficult to navigate digital systems. Jeevan Praman, a biometric-based Aadhaar-enabled Digital Life Certificate, aims to ease the process, but not all pensioners are able to fully benefit from it.

Since its introduction in 2014, the DLC process has shifted toward digital channels, with Face Authentication Technology (FAT) launched in 2021 to enable mobile-based authentication. This technology, however, has seen limited adoption: in 2023-24, only 6.6 Lakh of the 78 Lakh pensioners registered through FAT.

Mumbai resident Mr Deshmukh, a 63-year-old former municipal employee, expressed frustration with the process.

“It’s a tedious task to renew the certificate every year,” he said, describing crowded offices and unhelpful staff. “I’ve seen many struggling with the biometric systems, which often break down, causing delays,” he noted.

Due to joint pain and diabetes, Deshmukh finds these digital updates have not made the process much easier.

Many pensioners share Deshmukh’s concerns. Mr Rane, a 70-year-old former Air India employee, finds the process exhausting, especially since his local pension office was moved to Delhi.

“There’s a lack of communication, and I need my son’s help to manage everything. Rane also noted that despite digital advancements, the physical requirements remain challenging. “We do it because we don’t want the pension to stop,” he said.

Technical Limitations Affecting Elderly Pensioners

While Face Authentication Technology has been positioned as a solution for convenience, it has also raised concerns for many elderly citizens.

Facial recognition can present difficulties for older individuals whose appearance may have changed over the years. Some pensioners report issues with outdated photos causing mismatches, which can prevent their verification from going through smoothly.

A separate case from March 2023 underlines the limitations of facial recognition: an individual was denied a duplicate SIM card due to mismatches in the ASTR system from an old photo, highlighting how these technologies can be unreliable for the elderly.

Additionally, low-resolution photos and difficulties in capturing clear images pose further challenges.

Healthcare Support Measures for Senior Citizens

On a related note, the Madhya Pradesh government has extended the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to include citizens aged 70 and above, providing an annual health cover of INR 5 Lakh.

The initiative, which requires an Aadhaar and Samagra Family ID for registration, seeks to address healthcare accessibility among senior citizens, offering financial support for medical expenses.

The Digital Life Certificate Campaign, despite its goals of digital inclusion, highlights the struggle of older populations in adapting to digital processes. While digital channels and health initiatives aim to simplify life for senior citizens, accessibility and practical challenges remain significant barriers.