Question 67 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Current
Affairs

Question

Regarding 'DigiLocker', sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under the Digital India Programme.
2. It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Both 1 and 2

Strategy: The strategy is to assess the two statements about DigiLocker. Statement 1 correctly identifies DigiLocker as a government digital locker under the Digital India Programme. Statement 2 accurately describes its core functionality of accessing e-documents from any location. Both statements are factually consistent with the definition and purpose of DigiLocker.

Key Info: **DigiLocker**
- DigiLocker is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) under the 'Digital India' programme.
- It provides a secure dedicated personal cloud storage space to citizens for storing their documents and certificates, enabling them to access these e-documents anytime, anywhere, and share them digitally.
- The platform aims to minimize the use of physical documents and enable the sharing of e-documents across government agencies, fostering digital empowerment of citizens.
- Documents issued through DigiLocker (e.g., Aadhaar, driving license, vehicle registration) are considered legally valid and at par with original physical documents under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
- It facilitates 'Digital India' vision by promoting paperless governance and reducing administrative burden.
- Key features include issued documents (from registered issuers like CBSE, UIDAI), uploaded documents (by users), and a secure sharing mechanism.

**Digital India Programme**
- Launched in 2015 by the Government of India, the Digital India Programme is a comprehensive initiative to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
- It focuses on three key vision areas: Digital Infrastructure as a Core Utility to Every Citizen, Governance & Services on Demand, and Digital Empowerment of Citizens.
- Various projects and initiatives, including DigiLocker, Common Services Centers (CSCs), MyGov, e-Hospital, and Aadhaar-enabled services, fall under this umbrella program.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: Neither 1 nor 2