Shocking Changes to Your PAN Card You Didn’t Know About

The government has decided to modernize the PAN card system under the PAN 2.0 project, with an investment of ₹1435 crores.

The primary objective is to improve services and implement technological changes for taxpayers. The new PAN cards will feature a QR code. However, as the government rolls out the PAN 2.0 project, PAN cardholders have raised concerns.

Many are asking questions such as: What will happen to existing cards? Can corrections be made on the current cards?

Here are the answers provided by the Income Tax Department to frequently asked questions:

No Need for a New Card

Existing PAN cardholders do not need to apply for a new card. The old cards will remain valid even with the introduction of PAN 2.0, and the PAN numbers will stay the same.

Opportunity for Corrections

PAN cardholders will be able to make corrections to their details, including email, mobile number, address, date of birth, and name. These corrections will be free of cost after the launch of PAN 2.0.

The Income Tax Department has mentioned that currently, corrections can be made through the NSDL and UTISL websites, using Aadhaar for verification.

QR Code in PAN Cards

Under the PAN 2.0 project, the new cards will feature a QR code. However, this is not a new feature, as all PAN cards issued since 2017-18 already have a QR code. This practice will continue with PAN 2.0.

The QR code allows the scanning of the card to display the details in the PAN database. PAN cardholders who do not have a QR code on their current card can apply for a new card with the QR code now or in the future.