New Delhi | Updated: September 11, 2021 08:43 AM IST
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A beneficiary receives a dose of Covid-19 vaccine, during a vaccination drive at Motilal Nehru Medical college in Prayagraj, Sept. 10, 2021. (PTI Photo)
With the economy gradually re-opening, the government has come out with a way for people to check the Covid vaccination status of their employers, clients or service providers.
The Health Ministry on Friday introduced an update on the CoWIN IT platform, where beneficiaries book Covid-19 vaccination appointments and download the digital vaccination certificates. The new update is called the Know Your Customer’s/Client’s Vaccination Status (KYC-VS).
KYC-VS is a new application programming interface (API) launched on the CoWIN platform. The new feature will enable entities to check an individual’s status of vaccination through CoWIN.
Why has the new feature been added to CoWIN?
The health ministry said that it has been developed for purposes where an entity does not need to see the vaccination certificate in full, and would just need to know whether an individual has been vaccinated or not.
“As socio-economic activities are being gradually revived while maintaining everyone’s safety, there is a need for a way to digitally convey the status of individuals’ vaccination to entities with whom they may be engaging with for any or all reasons, as employees, passengers, residents,” the health ministry said.
The government has specifically cited common instances where the new feature will be helpful.
First, when an enterprise or employer may like to know the vaccination status of its employees to resume functions in offices, workplaces.
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Second, when the railways may want to get the status of vaccination of the passengers booking seats on trains.
Third, when airlines may want to get the status of vaccination of passengers buying tickets, and/or airports may want to allow only vaccinated passengers to pass through.
Fourth, it can be used by hotels, when they want to know the vaccination status of the residents at the time they are checking into the hotel, or at the time of making online bookings.
How will KYC-VS work?
It will be an Adhaar-like authentication service through CoWIN. To use this function, the beneficiary needs to enter her mobile number and name. Thereafter, they will get an OTP which they have to enter.
In return, CoWIN will send a response to the verifying entity on the individual’s status of vaccination, which will be as follows: 0 – Person is not vaccinated; 1 – Person is partially vaccinated; 2 – Person is fully vaccinated.
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This response will be digitally signed and can be shared instantly with the verifying entity, the health ministry said.
Yes. The health ministry said that the new feature is both consent-based and privacy-preserving. “A real-life example could be when at the time of booking a railway ticket, an individual will input the necessary details for buying the ticket and if required, the concerned entity will also get the vaccination status in the same transaction, with the due consent of the individual,” the health ministry said.
As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues.
He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations.
Areas of Expertise
Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety.
Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps.
Global Collaborations
Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects:
The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry.
Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time.
Awards & Recognition
His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors:
Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism
SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia)
Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club)
Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots).
Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision.
Social media
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99
X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More
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