TCS to rollout chip-based passports by the tip of this yr: What are e-passports and all that can change

Tata Consultancy Companies (TCS) reportedly appears set to roll out chip-based e-passports by the tip of the yr. Based on a report in Financial Instances (ET), TCS can be establishing a brand new command and management centre with the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) in addition to new knowledge centre to help the backend necessities of the undertaking. Earlier this yr, the ministry renewed its 10-year PSK deal price over Rs 6,000 crore with TCS. That is a part of the second part of the passport undertaking that the corporate bagged from the federal government. This passport undertaking is claimed to be the nation’s largest mission-critical e-governance programme until date. Here is a prepared reckoner on e-passports and the latest updates on the rollout.
What’s an e-passport
At first look, an e-passport appears similar to an everyday passport. Nonetheless, an e-passport comes fitted with a small digital chip, one thing just like as seen on a driver’s licence. The microchip shops all the data that’s printed in your passport together with title, date of start, deal with and different particulars. The microchip will assist immigration authourities to rapidly confirm particulars of a traveller. The e-passport has an embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip and antenna embedded as an inlay within the again cowl. The passport’s vital info is printed on its knowledge web page in addition to saved within the chip.
What’s the goal of those e-passports
The transfer may even assist to cut back the circulation of pretend passports. With the issuance of e-passports, authorities goals to boost the safety of passports, get rid of duplication and knowledge tampering. Embedded with an digital chip, they may assist enhance the extent of identification verification.
TCS to arrange new knowledge centre and PSKs
TCS is establishing a brand new command and management centre with the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA). The present passport command centre has been operating from the TCS premises however within the Passport 2.0 model a single joint command centre can be setup on the MEA premises. The corporate additionally plans to refresh present amenities (PSKs) and programs (together with {hardware}), construct new options for the issuance of e-passports. This consists of introducing options like biometrics, chatbots and auto-response amongst others
What’s the timeline for chip-based e-passports
Based on report, quoting a TCS official, the ministry of exterior affairs is a launch timeline inside this yr.
What’s going to occur to the present passports
The present passports will stay legitimate. The passports presently in circulation will bear the method of getting renewed with a brand new chip as and when they’re up for renewal.
How will the worldwide chip disaster have an effect on the rollout
Tej Bhatla, the pinnacle of TCS’ public sector enterprise unit, informed ET that he doesn’t count on the worldwide semiconductor scarcity to affect the e-passports programme. “Provide chain points are undoubtedly impacting the whole lot. Even for Passport Seva 2.0, we’re establishing a totally new knowledge centre and the 2 present knowledge centres may even get refreshed. So, we do have lots of dependency on a few of the {hardware} coming from outdoors the nation,” he stated. He, nevertheless, expects that because the e-passport undertaking can be unfold out over a while, this will assist be certain that the demand is manageable.