The Indian Railways is gearing up to implement mandatory e-Aadhaar authentication for all IRCTC accounts for booking Tatkal train tickets, a move aimed at eliminating misuse, enhancing transparency, and making the booking process more secure and efficient for genuine travellers.
CRIS to Lead Aadhaar Verification
In a Gazette notification dated May 27, 2025, the Ministry of Railways authorised the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) to perform Aadhaar authentication—on a voluntary basis—for identifying passengers, ticket-checking staff, and crew members using Yes/No or eKYC authentication facilities.
Currently, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) uses a third-party service for Aadhaar verification. However, with CRIS onboard, the process is expected to become significantly faster and more streamlined.
Almost a week later, on June 4, 2025, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced via X (formerly Twitter), “Bharatiya Railways will soon start using e-Aadhaar authentication to book Tatkal tickets. This will help genuine users get confirmed tickets when needed.”
Why This Move Matters
Tatkal tickets, which are designed for last-minute travel plans, have long been a target for ticket hoarding, scalping, and automated agent-based bookings. These malpractices often deprive genuine travellers of timely access to high-demand trains.
By linking Tatkal bookings with e-Aadhaar verification, the Indian Railways aims to establish identity-based access, helping curb fraud, reduce scalping, and ensure fair availability under the Tatkal quota.
What Will Change?
- According to the new directive, here’s how the Tatkal booking process will evolve:
- Only Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts will be allowed to book online Tatkal tickets.
- OTP-based Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory at the time of booking.
- IRCTC agents will be restricted from booking Tatkal tickets during the first 10 minutes of sales.
- Passengers with linked Aadhaar accounts will get priority access during this 10-minute window.
- IRCTC will launch a special verification drive to identify and deactivate suspicious accounts not authenticated via Aadhaar.
The Ministry clarified that although Aadhaar authentication is technically voluntary, it is essential for full access to Tatkal bookings and related services.
Aadhaar for Railway Employees Too
The Gazette notification also states that ticket-checking staff and train crew members will now undergo Aadhaar authentication for official identification purposes. This is intended to strengthen internal accountability and improve operational transparency.
IRCTC's Current Status
As of now, the IRCTC platform has over 130 million active subscribers, but only 12 million users are Aadhaar-verified. The Ministry said this gap needs urgent attention and that IRCTC accounts not linked with Aadhaar may soon face limitations or be shut down if flagged as suspicious.
In a press statement, the Ministry said: "IRCTC has decided to conduct special verification for all accounts that are not authenticated with Aadhaar. Accounts found to be suspicious will be closed. The Railways aim to ensure that genuine passengers receive all types of Tatkal tickets."
Over-the-Counter Tickets May Also Be Impacted
While the focus is currently on online Tatkal bookings, sources indicate that counter-based Tatkal tickets may also require Aadhaar authentication in the future to combat fraudulent activity across all ticketing platforms.
The Indian Railways' decision to integrate Aadhaar authentication into Tatkal ticket booking is part of a broader digital push to secure its booking systems, protect passengers from exploitation, and ensure equitable access. If you are an IRCTC user planning to book Tatkal tickets, linking your account with Aadhaar is no longer just an option—it’s a smart move to stay ahead of upcoming changes.
(With inputs from ANI)
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