No chance of getting no of your choice under UID

Being superstitious, you may succeed in getting a number of your choice -- whether it's mobile phone and motor registration et al by shelling out more or using your influence or some other means. But don't count on those things to come to your help when you apply for Unique Identification (UID) number.

The computer would throw up a random 16-digit number and there is no way you can change it. Nandan Nilekani, the chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) made this clear at the Bangalore ITBiz 2009 conference here, where he delivered a "Vision 2020 - Leadership Series" address.

An audience member asked during a question and answer session after the address -- would there be a scheme by which a person (who is supestitious) can get a special ID number? "No special number. Take the number you get", Nilekani said. "Number will be numeric; it will be 16-digit number".

Another asked what was the first "difficulty" or "challenge" after he took the UIDAI assignment -- a "hot chair" as he put it -- after quitting Infosys Technologies where he was Co-Chairman. Nilekani said being from "outside" the government, there were certainly challenges to "adjust to that (government). "I am confident that I will be able to figure out how to navigate through these different (government) systems".