Indian Rail - Step-brother treatment to online Tickets

Recently I went home through Indian Rail.  To save time and efforts, I booked my e-tickets online.  I took a print out of the tickets.  On the D-day I went to the station and the train was late by 30 mins.  When the train came, I tugged my luggage inside the compartment and arranged it.  The old couple sitting opposite asked me to change the seat with their grandson sitting few seat later.  I gladly complied.  The Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) came and ask for tickets from everyone.  Some young guns like me handed over the printed e-ticket.  Next he asked for some sort of identity.  In my Identity card (Driving license), the photo is not clear.  Another guy showed his college identity card.  All were okay.  Don't know what he confirmed from my driving license and the other guy's college identity card.  Now the same story repeated for 3 times as there was checking 3 time during the whole route. 

So whats the difference in a identity card and not without one.  Lets analyse whats there in a identity card

Name, Address, Phone no, Issuer Name and other details. 

When we are buying physical tickets we give the details like Name, Address and Phone no, but there is no verification whether they are correct or not.  So why for online tickets.  The TTE was not concerned about the photo.  I suppose they were confirming whether the name was same or not.  When we are buying online tickets, we are giving our email address (on which online tickets come), our phone no (on which sms is received) and unknowingly our IP address.  So in case of any emergency they can connect to us.  

I don't understand when 1/3 of the tickets are currently booked online , why this step brotherly treatment to tickets booked online.  Either seek the details of the physically booked ticket also to confirm the same passenger is travelling or stop asking for identity proofs from eTickets.