In a world where your biological identification has gone digital, why shouldn’t your physical home address be limited to outdated Postal Index Numbers (PIN)? In a mega step towards digitalisation of the country’s dated systems, the Indian government has come up with DIGIPIN. Hailed as the new way to give your home address a digital identity, DIGIPIN has been developed to make locating an address a lot easier, by dividing the entire country into a digital grid where each grid is representative of the latitude and longitude of your address.
DIGIPIN is hailed as the next big thing to happen to the country’s delivery system and could be as crucial as the Aadhaar biometric identification system. Here’s everything you need to know about DIGIPIN and how it can change the way your home coveys its identity.
What is DIGIPIN?
DIGIPIN is a country-wide, open-source digital addressing system created through a joint effort by the Department of Posts, IIT Hyderabad, and NRSC under ISRO. It segments the entire Indian landmass into grids measuring roughly 4 meters by 4 meters and assigns each of these blocks a distinct 10-character alphanumeric identifier derived from their precise geographic coordinates, including latitude and longitude.
What sets DIGIPIN apart from a traditional postal address?
Unlike conventional addresses that rely on details like neighborhood, street names, and house numbers, DIGIPIN uses a unique 10-character alphanumeric code that precisely maps to the geographic coordinates of a specific spot.
How can I locate my DIGIPIN?
To determine your DIGIPIN, you’ll need a device equipped with GNSS capabilities to capture your precise latitude and longitude. These coordinates are then translated into a DIGIPIN code. The Department of Posts is currently working on a web application that will allow users to easily retrieve the DIGIPIN for any location. Additionally, they plan to release the programming code for the DIGIPIN system publicly, enabling anyone to generate and decode DIGIPIN codes.
Does DIGIPIN impact my privacy?
Not at all. DIGIPIN simply represents a specific geographic point and does not collect, reveal, or connect to any personal data associated with that location. Your privacy remains completely protected.
Is DIGIPIN safe and secure?
DIGIPIN is generated solely from the latitude and longitude coordinates of a place, without linking to any personal information. The code serves purely as a location identifier, ensuring that no personal data is stored or tied to it.