On a news show the Deputy Director General of UIDAI had rubbished allegations that banks continued to insist on identity and residence proofs for opening bank accounts. He cited a circular of the Reserve Bank of India which apparently said, “Aadhaar details are enough", to rebut all claims. Thus started my quest to check the veracity of UIDAI’s claim that Aadhaar details were enough to avail all subsidies from government through direct benefit transfer through banks. I visited 10 banks in my area to cross check UIDAI’s claims that Aadhaar is enough to open bank accounts let alone avail subsidies. These are my findings:

Canara Bank: I asked a senior officer and if Aadhaar details were enough to open a bank account. The banker smiled at me and said, “You must have a minimum balance of Rs 50,000”. He assured me that I could open an account if an existing customer who held an account for more than six months ‘introduced’ me.

Vijaya Bank: This public sector bank’s official told me that along with Aadhaar details I would still need an introducer who has been operating an account with the Bank for more than six months. The minimum balance required to however was Rs 1,000/-. That cheered me up as the pecuniary requirement was well within my reach. But I wanted to test it out with some more Banks.

Syndicate Bank: The bank official in the Malviya Nagar branch of this bank told me that I would be required to submit my Aadhaar details along with an introducer signing my application form without which my account would not be opened.

State Bank of India: The security guard here told me that I would have to submit an address proof along with a copy of the “Aadhaar card”. He advised me to read up a poster which listed several ‘cards’ that could be submitted as proof of identity for opening a new account with the Bank. “Aadhaar card” was one of them. However the next column required every new applicant to submit a copy of one of the 11 documents also, as proof of residence, namely, passport, electoral photo identity card, ration card or a registered house lease agreement amongst others. Who said the proactive disclosure of information clause of the Right to Information Act is not working?

Punjab National Bank: When I enquired with the helpful lady banker here whether I could open my bank account only with Aadhaar details she replied, “aajkal to sabka Aadhaar card ban gaya hai. Keval Aadhaar se kaam nahin chalega.” (Everybody has an Aadhaar card today, so that alone is not enough.) I would have to submit a copy of my lease agreement with my landlord along with a copy of the “Aadhaar card”. However I could maintain a minimum balance of Rs 1,000 but I would have to find an introducer.

Punjab and Sind Bank: The banker here told me I would have to submit a copy of my “Aadhaar card” along with proof of residence and find an introducer. However I could maintain a minimum balance of Rs 1,000/-.

HDFC Bank Ltd.: The young bank official told me Aadhaar is best of all documents, but you will still need to maintain a balance of Rs 10,000. Apparently there is no need for an introducer for opening a new account with private banks. That was some relief, but a balance of 10k?

ICICI Bank Ltd.: Here, I would have to submit a cheque of Rs 15,500/- drawn on any other bank account to open an account with them. So I must have a bank account to open another bank account? Submitting a copy of the “Aadhaar card” was a must and the Bank would send someone to my house to verify whether I truly live there. So I would have to wait for him/her to visit me and hand over a copy of my photograph and of course a copy of the “Aadhaar card”. There was no need for an introducer but verification was still required. I walked out wondering what if I had changed my residential address and the Aadhaar details reflected my previous address?

Axis Bank: The bank official was prompt in responding to my query. I would have to submit a copy of my PAN card along with my Aadhaar details and maintain a minimum balance of Rs. 10,000/-. I wondered how many people had PAN cards in India?

Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Ltd. The bank official told me submitting copies of the “Aadhaar card” and my PAN card and finding an introducer was a must for opening a bank account. I could operate my account with a minimum balance of Rs. 500/-. Now that’s my kind of bank, but I would still need two documents more than the Aadhaar card to open my account.

I walked back home wondering how someone like me holding 3 academic degrees and almost a fourth one, had to struggle with the system for a simple thing like opening a bank account in order to show that I am a law abiding citizen let alone lay a claim to subsidies. Surely, a ragpicker in any city would not find it easy to open an account with any of the public or private sector banks merely by using Aadhaar details as UIDAI claims. Then again, UIDAI officials claim Aadhaar is not a “card” but just a “number” linked to my demographic and biometric information. But on the ground the “Aadhaar card” seems to be proof of the number. Just as people watching the comic hero Superman fly ask, “Is it a bird, is it a plane?” we citizens feel compelled to ask about Aadhaar again and again “is it a number, it is a card, is it convenient or is it a flight of fancy?”