Indian Railways is considering expanding the list of acceptable identification documents for authenticating IRCTC accounts used for Tatkal ticket bookings. This move aims to streamline the Tatkal ticket booking process and potentially include documents like PAN cards, driving licenses, and voter IDs, accessible through Digilocker, in addition to Aadhaar. An announcement regarding this change is expected soon.

The current system relies heavily on Aadhaar authentication, with the Railway Ministry authorizing the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) to authenticate passenger identities using Aadhaar. This includes options like "Yes/No" authentication or eKYC. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that the introduction of e-Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal tickets aims to help genuine users secure confirmed tickets.

The move to mandate Aadhaar verification for IRCTC accounts booking Tatkal tickets is intended to make the process fairer and more efficient. It seeks to prevent users from booking multiple Tatkal tickets simultaneously, a practice that disadvantages genuine passengers. To further enhance security, an OTP-based authentication system is planned for all online Tatkal bookings. This dual authentication approach, combining Aadhaar-based biometric verification with mobile device verification, adds an extra layer of security.

To facilitate these changes, passengers are required to link their Aadhaar numbers to their IRCTC accounts and complete a one-time verification process. Once authenticated, the system recognizes the Aadhaar-linked account for future bookings.

These measures have already shown some positive effects. There has been a noticeable drop in the creation of new user IDs on the IRCTC platform, falling from approximately 60,000-65,000 per day to just 10,000-12,000. Additionally, IRCTC has blocked 35 million fraudulent user IDs. These efforts are aimed at curbing unauthorized ticketing practices, where agents create multiple profiles using disposable email IDs and mobile numbers to book tickets.

In addition to the measures above, restrictions have been placed on authorized booking agents during peak booking windows. Agents are now prohibited from booking first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30 minutes of the booking window. This restriction applies differently for AC and non-AC class bookings, with AC class restrictions in place from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM and non-AC class restrictions from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

While Aadhaar authentication is being emphasized, the Railways are also exploring the possibility of allowing other forms of identification for IRCTC account authentication. This potential expansion could include PAN cards, driving licenses, and voter IDs via Digilocker. This move recognizes the need for flexibility and aims to accommodate users who may not have or prefer not to use Aadhaar for authentication purposes.