In the month of March, the Indian government made Aadhaar card compulsory for new SIM cards; And now, the rules have become even stricter. Already telecom operators such as Airtel and Idea have started sending SMSes to existing subscribers asking them to link their Aadhaar and mobile numbers.

Yes, the Department of Telecom issued a directive to all mobile phone companies in India saying that they need to re-verify all mobile phone users in India through Aadhaar card.

If you fail to do so, your SIM card will be deactivated. Yeah, you heard that right!

So, it has now become a compulsory thing to keep your mobile number linked with your concern Aadhar card. It’s just simple as, if you want to keep your mobile number active, you need to link it to your Aadhaar card. This move comes after the DoT i.e. the Department of Telecom directed mobile operators to re-verify the e-KYC of postpaid and prepaid customers with Aadhaar cards.

This move comes after the DoT i.e. the Department of Telecom directed mobile operators to re-verify the e-KYC of postpaid and prepaid customers with Aadhaar cards.

Even you can see ads in Airtel Stores that read, “Link your Aadhaar card to your number now to stay active.”

So, if you want to enjoy undisturbed services, follow this rule. A notice released by telecom operators reads that after 6th of February 2018, numbers that aren’t linked with Aadhaar cards, will be treated as invalid.

 Related articles: How To Lock/ Unlock Aadhaar Biometric Data Online Step By Step Process

How to link the phone number to your Aadhaar card?

• As soon as you receive the SMS, go to the nearby store of your operator.

• Take your Aadhaar card along and give the details there.

• After this, you will receive a 4 digit verification code.

• Once the code is confirmed, fingerprint verification will be done.

• Within 24 hours, you will get another message for “Final verify”.

• Reply to that message with “Y”.

• You will get an SMS that your number is linked to the Aadhaar card.

Even other mobile operators like Vodafone, BSNL, Aircel and Jio are expected to follow this process. After knowing this, people are having many questions in their minds. Clear your doubts with these answers;

1. Do I need to pay any charges?

This process is free and you need to get it done through an operator’s store only.

2. Can I do online registration?

No, don’t go behind any online registration sites, as they are fake. The process is manual and as of now, only offline registration facility is available. Telecom operators haven’t started online registration.

3. What’s the last date?

The last date is 6th of February 2018. Do it as soon as possible as it is rightly said, “Sooner the better”.

4. Can the Aadhaar card be linked to multiple SIM cards?

Yes, you can link it. However, a limit has been set for maximum connections. You need to find it out from your operator store.

Follow the instructions mentioned above and get your card linked as soon as possible. It is better to be safe than sorry; following the rule at the earliest will not only benefit you but will also ensure that you don’t face any issues later on.

Must Read: How To Link Your Aadhaar Card To PAN Card, Step-By-Step Process