NEW DELHI, July 20: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is preparing to roll out a program for updating children’s biometric data through schools across the country in the next two months, a senior official confirmed.
UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar revealed that over 7 crore children have yet to complete their mandatory biometric updates (MBU)—a requirement once they reach 5 years of age.
“We’re working on a school-based biometric update process, with parental consent. Technology testing is underway and should be completed in the next 45 to 60 days,” Kumar said.
MBU is critical for ensuring the authenticity and accuracy of biometric data. According to UIDAI rules, failure to update biometric data beyond the age of 7 may result in Aadhaar deactivation.
Biometric updates between the ages of 5 and 7 are free, but after age 7, a fee of ₹100 is charged for the update.
An Aadhaar with updated biometrics ensures smoother access to various services—school admissions, entrance exam registrations, scholarships, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes, among others.
Kumar also mentioned that UIDAI plans to implement a similar school- and college-based model for the second biometric update required at age 15.
Currently, Aadhaar is issued to newborns and children below 5 years without capturing biometric data. Kumar emphasized the need to complete updates to enable children to receive timely benefits from various government schemes.
To support this initiative, UIDAI will deploy biometric machines to districts, which will be rotated among schools to cover as many children as possible in a convenient manner.
