Kathmandu, March 23 -- On March 5, Nirmal Gaihre posted a review of the Nagarik App on the Google Play Store, questioning the app's worth. "I am very disappointed with the Nagarik App," Gaihre wrote. "If digital documents cannot be used for official verification without showing a physical citizenship card, national ID, or passport, then what is the real purpose of this platform?"

Gaihre's review reflects a frustration shared by many users of Nepal's digital identity platform. Many cite technical glitches and login issues. But the most frequent complaint is simpler: even with verified documents in the app, institutions still demand physical copies.

The Nagarik App, developed by the Department of Information Technology under the Ministry ...