PM-KISAN e-KYC can be done in three ways: an OTP on the portal, a fingerprint (biometric) scan at a Common Service Centre (CSC), or a face scan in the PM-KISAN mobile app. The government's own description of the scheme lists exactly these three modes, and says benefits go to farmers whose land records are seeded on the PM-KISAN portal, whose bank account is linked with Aadhaar, and who have completed e-KYC.
The headline "5 minutes" is realistic only if your Aadhaar mobile number is working and your details are already correct. Below is how each method works, who should use which, and what to check when e-KYC fails. Anything that could not be confirmed on an official page is marked as such.
Is e-KYC compulsory?
Yes. In a reply on ineligible beneficiaries (PIB, 18 March 2025), the Ministry stated that land seeding, Aadhaar-based payment and e-KYC were made mandatory progressively between the 12th and 15th instalments, and that benefits of farmers who did not complete these were stopped. The same reply says that when such a farmer completes the requirements, he or she receives the scheme benefit along with any dues. So a pending e-KYC does not cancel you; it holds your money until it is done.
The three conditions are separate, and all three must be in place:
- Land seeding - your land record is verified by the state and uploaded on the PM-KISAN portal. You cannot fix this by yourself on the portal; it needs your state's revenue or agriculture office.
- Aadhaar-seeded bank account - payment goes by DBT to an account linked with Aadhaar. Ask your bank to confirm that your Aadhaar is seeded for receiving benefits.
- e-KYC - identity authentication of the beneficiary, covered in this article.
Method 1: OTP e-KYC on the portal
- Open pmkisan.gov.in on your phone or computer. Check that the address is exactly this, with the .gov.in ending.
- Under Farmers Corner, find the e-KYC option. Menu labels on the portal are changed from time to time, so look for "e-KYC" there rather than relying on an exact position.
- Enter your Aadhaar number and the captcha, and search.
- An OTP is sent to the mobile number linked with your Aadhaar (not necessarily the mobile number you gave PM-KISAN). Enter it to finish.
This works only if your Aadhaar has an active mobile number. If you no longer have that SIM, the OTP will not reach you; use Method 2 or 3, or update the mobile number in Aadhaar first.
Method 2: Face authentication in the PM-KISAN app
The PM-KISAN mobile app has had face-authentication e-KYC since June 2023 (PIB, Rajya Sabha reply of 11 August 2023). The Ministry describes it as a way to complete e-KYC "without any OTP or fingerprint", so a farmer whose Aadhaar has no working mobile number can still do it, and nobody has to travel to a CSC.
- Install the app only from the official listing on Google Play (the Ministry says it is published through NIC's e-Gov mobile apps account). Do not install an app from a WhatsApp or SMS link or an APK file.
- You must give digital consent before your face is scanned.
- Per the 2023 reply, a farmer can use the app to help up to 100 other farmers nearby, and authorised state officials can do e-KYC for up to 500 farmers using their registered mobile numbers. So you can ask your village nodal officer or a trained neighbour for help.
- Good light and a steady phone with a working front camera matter. If the scan fails again and again, go to Method 3 rather than retrying all day.
Method 3: Biometric at a CSC
More than five lakh CSCs have been onboarded to help with PM-KISAN registration and the mandatory requirements (PIB, March 2025). Take your Aadhaar and tell the operator it is for PM-KISAN e-KYC; your fingerprint is matched against Aadhaar. It is the fallback when OTP and face scan both fail, for example when you do not own a smartphone. Ask what fee the CSC is charging; do not pay anyone who says the money is for "releasing your instalment".
Which method should you pick?
| Your situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| Aadhaar has a working mobile number | OTP on portal |
| Aadhaar mobile lost or not linked, you have a smartphone | Face authentication in the app |
| No smartphone, or face scan keeps failing | Biometric at a CSC |
| Elderly farmer unable to use a phone | CSC, or a village nodal officer |
If e-KYC fails
- Name or date of birth differs between Aadhaar and PM-KISAN records. Correct the wrong record first. In a March 2026 Lok Sabha reply the Ministry acknowledged that name mismatches across documents block some farmers and said a grievance mechanism exists for land or name mismatch.
- Aadhaar not linked to the account. e-KYC cannot substitute for bank seeding; visit your bank.
- Land record not seeded or in a relative's name. Contact the block agriculture office or tehsil; see PM-KISAN scheme details.
- Unsure of the reason. Use the Help Desk under Farmers Corner on the portal, or the IVRS helpline 155261, which the Ministry has described as a 24x7 helpline for checking beneficiary status.
What about Farmer ID?
Farmer ID (from the state Farmer Registry under AgriStack) matters for new registrations, not for e-KYC of an existing beneficiary. A Lok Sabha reply on 10 March 2026 said Farmer ID is mandatory only for new PM-KISAN registrations in the 19 states where farmer-registry work has begun; in other states a farmer can still register without it. It does not say existing beneficiaries must obtain one to keep receiving payments. Ask your state agriculture office whether your state is on that list.
Fraud: protect your Aadhaar and OTP
- Never read your OTP out to a caller, even one claiming to be from "PM-KISAN", the bank or a CSC. The OTP is for you alone.
- Do not click links or install apps (APK files) sent over WhatsApp, SMS or social media that promise "instalment status", "KYC update" or "free money". Use only pmkisan.gov.in typed in your browser and the Play Store app.
- No e-KYC process requires you to share a bank PIN, card number or CVV. Asking for these is a sign of fraud.
- The scheme sends money to you; you never need to pay anyone to receive an instalment.
- If you have been cheated, tell your bank immediately and report on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or helpline 1930.