Facial authentication technology has been introduced into EPFO, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, to significantly enhance many infrastructural services that deal with everything pension. The major beneficiaries would obviously be crores of EPFO members-pensioners in particular-who often encounter problems in availing services due to issues of documentation or biometric mismatch.
What Is Face Authentication?
This is the verification of the identity of any individual by means of facial recognition technology operating through a smartphone or any other camera-enabled device, obviating the presence of the individual on-site with a biometric device, which not only is often not workable but also proves very tricky especially among senior citizens with almost non-existent or worn-out fingerprints.
Key Services To Be Enabled Through Face Authentication
EPFO has confirmed that the following services will be carried out using face authentication soon after implementation:
- Digital Life Certificate Submission (Jeevan Pramaan): Pensioners will now be able to submit their annual life certificate from the comfort of their homes without having to visit banks or pension offices.
- KYC Verification: KYC detail update will become swifter and less cumbersome with facial verification replacing OTP/biometric methods.
- Pension Claim Authentication: Members can authenticate in cases of pension withdrawal or transfer by facial recognition.
- Tracking Status & Grievance Redressal:Members will login to the portal and access services just by verifying their identity through facial scanning.
Who Will Benefit?
This is a huge relief for senior citizens, particularly those in rural or remote areas without much digital infrastructure. It means they will not have to travel so far, let alone Fingerprint-based biometric devices, whose fidelity is easily compromised on account of age-related blemishes.
How To Use It?
The member must download the Face Authentication App’ developed by UIDAI or use the tool integrated into the EPFO portal. To complete the verification in no more than a few minutes, the users should go through a few steps while ensuring the face scan is carried out in well-lit surroundings.
Conclusion
With this action, EPFO is now engaging in a process of transformation so that technology is able to improve the accessibility, convenience, and security of millions of users. It is another significant step towards making government services more inclusively, efficiently, and user-friendly for India’s people.
The official rollout date and process guidance will soon come on the EPFO portal and mobile app.
Also Read: EPS-95 Pension Reform 2025: Will Pensioners Receive RS 7,500 Monthly