UIDAI Waives Biometric Update Charges for Children, Benefiting Six Crore Aadhaar Holders

New Delhi, Oct 2025 : In a move set to benefit nearly six crore children, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has waived all charges for the first Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU-1) in Aadhaar, officials announced on Saturday. The decision came into effect from October 1 and will remain in force for a year.

Children below the age of five are enrolled for Aadhaar using basic details such as photograph, name, date of birth, gender, address, and birth certificate. At this stage, fingerprints and iris scans are not collected, as biometrics are not yet fully developed.

According to UIDAI rules, biometric updates become mandatory once a child turns five years old, when fingerprints, iris scans, and a fresh photograph are recorded for the first time. This is termed the first MBU (MBU-1). A second biometric update is required at 15 years of age (MBU-2).

While both MBUs have traditionally been free if completed within the age windows of 5–7 years and 15–17 years, UIDAI has now waived the charges for updates even beyond those windows. Previously, children who missed the free update period had to pay ₹125 per MBU. With the latest decision, biometric updates are completely free of cost for all children aged 5 to 17 years.

Officials noted that updated Aadhaar biometrics are crucial for ensuring smooth access to a wide range of services. These include school admissions, registration for entrance exams, scholarship benefits, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes, and other welfare programmes where Aadhaar is accepted as proof of identity. Parents and guardians have been urged to prioritize updating their children’s Aadhaar records to avoid difficulties later.

The announcement follows UIDAI’s ongoing efforts to enhance Aadhaar’s role in India’s Digital Public Infrastructure. Last month, more than 700 policymakers, industry leaders, and startups gathered in Hyderabad for ‘Aadhaar Samvaad’, a day-long conference organized by UIDAI to strengthen collaboration with ecosystem partners.

At the event, S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), highlighted Aadhaar’s role as a foundational layer of digital governance. He emphasized that Aadhaar’s database is one of the safest in the world and praised its contribution to ease of living by enabling services to be built on its platform.

Neelkanth Mishra, Chairperson of UIDAI, called for deeper engagement with stakeholders and underlined the scope for new Aadhaar-linked innovations in the near future. Bhuvnesh Kumar, CEO of UIDAI, added that Aadhaar is not just a 12-digit identification number, but a continuing journey of empowerment, accessibility, and trust for millions of Indians.

With the waiver of biometric update charges, UIDAI aims to ensure that children and young citizens face no barriers in keeping their Aadhaar updated, thereby making access to education, welfare, and digital services seamless and inclusive.