Introduction

In today's fast-paced digital era, these government-issued identification numbers are the backbone of modern commerce and governance. Identifiers, such as the Permanent Account Number (PAN), Aadhaar, Corporate Identification Number (CIN), Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN), and Udyam Registration Number (UDYAM) are essential for various administrative, financial, and regulatory purposes. Each of these IDs follows a unique pattern and structure, serving specific functions within their respective domains.
Since government IDs play a vital role in India's administration, let's explore the different types that exist. Each ID, like PAN, Aadhaar, CIN, GSTIN, and UDYAM has a specific format and serves a unique purpose. Some, like Aadhaar, are for personal identification, while others, like PAN, are used for financial matters. Businesses use CIN for registration, GSTIN for tax purposes, and UDYAM for MSME registration

Permanent Account Number (PAN):

The Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a unique 10-digit alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department of India. The PAN number follows a specific pattern that provides valuable information about the individual or entity it is assigned to.

The PAN number is structured as follows (AAAAA9999A):

• The first three characters are letters that represent a sequential alphabetic series, ranging from AAA to ZZZ. These letters are not case-sensitive.
• The fourth character is a letter that represents the status of the PAN holder. Only the characters : "A" for Association, "C" for corporation, "F" for firm, "H" for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), "P" for person and "T" for trust can all be used in this context.
• The fifth character is a letter that represents the first letter of the PAN holder's surname or the entity's name.
• The last five characters are numeric digits that are sequentially assigned, ranging from 0001 to 9999.
• The final character is an alphabetic check digit that helps verify the validity of the PAN number.

Aadhaar Number:

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Unlike other identifiers, the Aadhaar number is purely numeric and does not follow an alphanumeric format. The structure is straightforward, consisting of a randomly generated sequence of 12 digits without any embedded information about the individual.
This simplicity and randomness in the pattern are designed to ensure the uniqueness of each Aadhaar number, making it difficult to guess or replicate. The number is linked to an individual’s biometric and demographic data, such as fingerprints, iris scans, and basic personal information, which helps in establishing a robust and reliable identity verification system for various services and benefits.

Corporate Identification Number (CIN):

The Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is a unique 21-character alphanumeric code assigned to companies registered in India by the Registrar of Companies (ROC). This structured code provides valuable information about the company, enabling efficient tracking and identification.

The CIN follows a specific pattern (L17110MH1973PLC019786) :

• The first character is a letter that represents the company's listing status. For example, "L" indicates listed companies, "U" indicates unlisted companies, and "G" indicates government companies.
• The next five digits represent the industry code, corresponding to the company's primary business activity.
• The seventh and eighth characters are letters denoting the state where the company's registered office is located.
• The following four digits indicate the year in which the company was incorporated.
• The next three characters represent the legal structure of the company, such as 'PLC' for a public limited company or 'PTC' for a private limited company.
• The final six digits are the company's registration number assigned by the ROC.

This comprehensive format allows the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to maintain a centralized database of companies and their key details, facilitating regulatory compliance and business identification. The CIN is an essential identifier for companies in India, required for various transactions, filings, and interactions with government authorities.

Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN):

The Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN) is a unique 15-digit alphanumeric code assigned to every business registered under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in India. It is issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).This structured identifier provides valuable information about the taxpayer and enables efficient tax administration.

The GSTIN follows a specific pattern:

• The first two digits represent the state code where the business is registered, ranging from 01 for Jammu and Kashmir to 37 for Andhra Pradesh (New)
• The next 10 digits correspond to the business entity's Permanent Account Number (PAN), which serves as a unique identifier for income tax purposes.
• The 13th digit indicates the number of registrations the business has within the same state under the same PAN, starting from 1.
• The 14th digit is always the letter 'Z' by default.
• The final 15th digit is a check digit that helps verify the validity of the GSTIN.

This comprehensive format allows the GST authorities to track and monitor the tax compliance of each registered business, ensuring transparency and preventing tax evasion. The GSTIN is an essential identifier for businesses to fulfill their GST-related obligations, such as filing returns, claiming input tax credits, and making tax payments.

UDYAM Registration Number (UDYAM):

The Udyam Registration Number is a unique 19-digit alphanumeric code assigned to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India. It serves as a permanent identification number for businesses registered under the Udyam portal.The Udyam registration number follows a specific format:UDYAM-XX-00-0000000

• The first 6 characters are "UDYAM-" which is a fixed prefix
• The next 2 characters (XX) represent the state code where the enterprise is registered
• The following 2 digits (00) indicate the district code
• The final 7 digits (0000000) are a unique sequential number assigned to each enterprise

For example, the Udyam registration number "UDYAM-KA-28-0000001" indicates an enterprise registered in Bengaluru, Karnataka with a unique serial number of 0000001.The Udyam registration is mandatory for MSMEs to avail various government benefits, subsidies and schemes. It is a paperless, digital process based on self-declaration and does not require renewal. The PAN and GST-linked details of the enterprise are automatically fetched from government databases during registration.

Benefits of Automation in Government ID Verification and Compliance

Automation can significantly enhance the process of verifying and ensuring compliance with various government-issued IDs. Here are key ways automation can help:

• Identity Data Matching: Automated systems can match data populated by users entries and retrieving identity details from government records such as NSDL Digilocker, GST database, UIDAI database etc. This ensures the ID holder's identity matches the government records and detects any discrepancies that could indicate fraud.
• Streamlined Onboarding: Automated checks can be performed in real-time during onboarding, thus by automating ID verification and compliance checks, businesses can significantly reduce the time and effort required for customer onboarding. This creates a more seamless and efficient experience for customers while ensuring regulatory requirements are met.
• Identity Document Verification: More advanced systems can also verify the authenticity of ID documents like PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, driving licenses, and GST registrations using optical character recognition (OCR). These systems extract data from the ID and cross-reference it against government databases to confirm validity. This process eliminates manual data entry and reduces the risk of human error.
• Compliance Monitoring: Automated systems continuously monitor for changes in a customer's ID information or status, such as an Aadhaar number being deactivated or a PAN card being flagged. This allows businesses to stay on top of compliance requirements and take action if any issues arise. Automated alerts can notify businesses of any compliance concerns.
• Scalability and Efficiency: Automated ID verification and compliance solutions can handle large volumes of checks with speed and accuracy, making them highly scalable. This is crucial for businesses that need to onboard many customers or monitor a large customer base.

In summary, automation is a powerful tool for enhancing the reliability, efficiency, and scalability of government ID verification and compliance checks. It helps businesses stay compliant while providing a better customer experience.

Streamline Onboarding with reliable validation and accurate verification with RAZE-Onboard

Raze offers a comprehensive solution that harnesses the power of automation to simplify this critical process of due diligence and compliance which is crucial for businesses across various industries

Pattern Validation Check:

Raze's platform provides two distinct types of ID verification checks to ensure the integrity of personal information. The first is a pattern-based check, where Raze's system analyzes the structure and format of the ID number to validate its authenticity. For example, the platform can instantly verify the 12-digit format of an Aadhaar number or the 10-character structure of a PAN card, ensuring that the ID presented aligns with the expected pattern.

Realtime Verification Check:

The second type ID verification check is an API based verification, where Raze's system cross-references the ID data against official government databases in realtime. This robust process ensures that the information provided matches the records held by the relevant authorities, eliminating the risk of fraudulent or outdated IDs.

Coloured Badge Marking:

Raze's verification checks go beyond simply confirming the ID's validity. The platform also provides visual indicators to help users quickly assess the status of the verification process. A red badge indicates that the provided information is incorrect and requires further investigation.

Bulk Upload Entities:

One of the standout features of Raze-Onboard solution is its ability to handle bulk validations and verifications. This is particularly useful for businesses that need to onboard large numbers of customers or partners. By automating the verification process, Raze helps organisations save time, reduce errors, and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Raze's automated onboarding solution is a game-changer for businesses across various sectors. By combining robust pattern-based validation and api based verification checks with intuitive visual indicators and bulk uploading capabilities, we empowers our clients to streamline their onboarding with identity management processes and maintaining the highest levels of due diligence and compliance.