Starting October 1, 2025, Indian Railways has made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for online booking of general reserved tickets during the first 15 minutes after the reservation window opens on the IRCTC website or app.
Earlier, this constraint applied only to Tatkal bookings, but now the same principle is extended to general reservations to discourage misuse by agents and bots.
A ministry circular explained:
“With a view to ensure that the benefits of the reservation system reach the common end user and are not misused by unscrupulous elements, it has been decided that with effect from 1.10.2025, during the first 15 minutes of opening of general reservation, reserved general tickets can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) /its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”
Officials also clarified that once the 15-minute period ends, the booking process reverts to normal, allowing all registered users to access the system.
Only users whose IRCTC accounts are linked and authenticated with Aadhaar can create online bookings for general reserved tickets.
This applies to both the IRCTC website and mobile app.
After the initial window, booking reverts to the usual mode, and all registered users can continue reservations online.
Authorized ticket agents are permitted to resume online bookings after this time.
Bookings through computerized PRS counters (physical railway counters) will continue as before, without Aadhaar requirement.
The existing 10-minute restriction on agents booking opening-day general reservations remains in effect.
For Tatkal bookings, Aadhaar-based verification and a 15-minute early window restriction were already in place to reduce mass bookings by intermediaries.
Recognizing the benefits of that system, the railway ministry has now extended a similar mechanism to general reservations to improve transparency and limit misuse.
Data cited in related media suggests a significant volume of suspicious accounts and bookings were deactivated by railways in recent months, underlining the scale of misuse.
Passengers should complete linking before using the early window:
Log in to your IRCTC account
Go to My Profile
Select Aadhaar Authentication
Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number
Complete verification via OTP sent to the mobile number linked with Aadhaar
It’s also important your IRCTC account details match your Aadhaar records to avoid verification failures.
Passengers who have linked Aadhaar gain priority access during high-demand booking periods.
Those who haven’t may face delays or be excluded from booking in the first 15 minutes.
The change is intended to reduce bulk bookings by bots or agents, making more seats available to genuine users.
However, it doesn’t affect in-person bookings or later online booking windows.
Making Aadhaar authentication mandatory during the first 15 minutes of online general reservations is a bold move by Indian Railways to prioritize genuine travellers and clamp down on misuse. While it builds on mechanisms already in place for Tatkal, extending it to all reservations may help curb systemic abuse by automated bots and unscrupulous agents.
For many passengers, this means earlier access to coveted seats—provided they have linked their Aadhaar. On the flip side, those who delay linking may face disadvantages, at least in peak-demand windows. Overall, if implemented smoothly, this rule change could make the booking process more equitable, transparent, and dependable for everyday travellers.