Digital KYC Challenges for People with Disabilities

Digital KYC, or Know Your Customer, is a process used by banks and financial institutions to verify the identity of their customers.

However, this process can be very difficult for people with disabilities.

For example, someone who can't blink because of facial burns might not be able to complete the 'liveliness' check required for digital KYC.

The Supreme Court of India has issued directives to make digital KYC more accessible, but there are still many challenges.

Some people have trouble signing on a screen, holding their ID card correctly, or remembering their PAN number.

There are also issues with biometric verification, like thumb prints or iris scans, which can be difficult for people with certain disabilities.

Experts suggest that digital KYC systems should be more flexible and include alternative methods for verification, such as head nods or facial expressions.

They also recommend that people with disabilities should be allowed to have a trusted aide to help them without it being considered fraud.

The cost of making these changes is a concern, but experts believe that accessibility should be as important as cybersecurity.