KNOW YOUR COUPLE, Pg10.

Key Highlights:

• A couple in Kerala registered their marriage using video KYC and received a digitally verified certificate on the same day.
• The online marriage registration is part of the K-SMART platform for local self-governance, launched last year by the Kerala government.
• From January 2024 to September 2025, 62,524 marriages were registered online out of 1,44,416 total marriages in Kerala.
• Kerala is focusing on digital literacy and universal internet access through initiatives like training programs and the KFON project.

Detailed Insights:

• The video KYC process uses Aadhaar-based OTPs or email authentication to verify identities for online marriage registration.
• K-SMART is a platform by the Kerala government aimed at improving local self-governance through digital means.
• Kerala's Local Self-Government Department trained nearly 22 lakh people identified as "digitally illiterate".
• The KFON project aims to provide free internet access to families below the poverty line to ensure universal internet access.
• Ensuring access to digital devices for all households remains a challenge to fully realize the promise of digital governance.
• The increasing use of online marriage registration indicates progress in digital access and literacy in Kerala.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Video KYC: A process that verifies identities remotely using digital means like Aadhaar-based OTPs.
• Digital Literacy: The ability to use and understand digital technology effectively.
• Digital Governance: The use of digital technologies to improve governance and public services.