NEW PORTAL GLITCHES DELAY BIRTH, DEATH CERTIFICATES

Why in the news?

Persistent technical issues with India’s new birth and death registration portal are causing delays and disruptions in issuing certificates, impacting public services and creating administrative challenges.

NEW PORTAL GLITCHES DELAY BIRTH, DEATH CERTIFICATESsource:medium

Issues with New Birth and Death Registration Portal

  • The Civil Registration System (CRS) portal has faced persistent glitches since its implementation on October 1, 2023, causing significant delays in issuing birth and death certificates.
  • Issues include slow system performance, delayed OTP generation, frequent error messages, and problems with page reloading.
  • States like Bihar, Nagaland, and Uttar Pradesh have reported severe disruptions.
  • Officials have faced public dissatisfaction and complaints due to the inefficiencies in the new system.

Technical Problems:

  • The new portal, integrated under the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, has shown problems such as freezing during registration, difficulties in making corrections, and mandatory Aadhaar e-sign-in requirements.
  • States have also reported issues with missing forms and summary monthly reports, as well as insufficient space in comment boxes.
  • The system often reloads or crashes, leading to data entry issues and inability to generate certificates promptly.
About Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023:

About:

  • Amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
  • The Act regulates birth and death registration; falls under the Concurrent List, allowing both Parliament and state legislatures to legislate.

Key Features:

  • Digital Birth Certificates: Introduces digital birth certificates as a comprehensive document, reducing the need for multiple documents.
  • Aadhaar Linking: Proposes linking Aadhaar details of parents and informants to birth certificates, expanding inclusion to various reporting authorities like medical officers and jailors.
  • Centralised Database: Establishes a centralised database for managing birth and death records, also updating the National Population Register (NPR), ration cards, and property registrations.
  • Obligation on States: Mandates States to register births and deaths on the Centre’s Civil Registration System (CRS) portal and share data with the Registrar General of India.