The Ministry of Railways has announced a new rule for booking Tatkal train tickets online. From 1st July 2025, only users who have successfully authenticated their Aadhaar with their IRCTC account will be eligible to book Tatkal seats through the official website or mobile app. The change aims to cut back on fraud and block booking by unauthorised agents, while making sure seats are fairly distributed to genuine passengers.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you link your Aadhaar with your IRCTC account and make sure you’re all set to book your Tatkal ticket once the new policy comes into force.
Pre-requisites
Before you start, make sure you have:
• An active IRCTC account
• Your Aadhaar number or Virtual ID
• Mobile phone to receive a One-Time Password (OTP)
How to link Aadhaar with your IRCTC account
1. Visit the official IRCTC website.
2. Login with your credentials.
3. Go to My Account tab and select Authenticate User.
4. Enter your Aadhaar Number or Virtual ID in the space provided.
5. Select Verify details and receive OTP.
6. Once you get the OTP on your phone, enter it and submit after agreeing to the consent form.
7. A confirmation message will appear once your Aadhaar is successfully authenticated.
How to add an Aadhaar-verified passenger to your IRCTC account
To make your Tatkal booking quicker and smoother, you can pre-store passenger details in your Master List and get them Aadhaar-verified in advance.
Here’s how you can do it:
1. After logging in to your IRCTC account, go to My Profile and select Master List.
2. Enter the passenger’s details — name, date of birth, and gender — exactly as they appear on their Aadhaar card.
3. Select Aadhaar Card as the ID proof and input the Aadhaar number.
4. Submit the details. The passenger’s verification status will initially show as Pending.
5. To check if the verification is complete, click on Click here to check pending Aadhaar verification status.
6. Once the details match the Aadhaar database, the status will be updated to Verified.
Once a passenger is verified, their details will be available directly from your Master List during booking, saving you time and effort when seats are in high demand.
Tip:
Having your Master List updated and Aadhaar-verified will help you book Tatkal seats faster.
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