In a beneficial move impacting millions of Indian families the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced free Aadhaar biometric updates for children between ages 7 and 15. This free update is granted under Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU-1) and shall be effective for one year from October 1, 2025, potentially helping over six crore students as estimated by the government.
Knowledge of the Current System
Currently under the Aadhaar scheme, children below five years of age are issued Aadhaar numbers without biometric information upon reaching the age of five, they should, for the first time, undergo biometric updates where fingerprints and a photograph of the face will be taken. At the age of 15, they shall be scheduled for mandatory second biometric updates as with their age, biometric patterns become stabilized.
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These updates were free only if they were conducted strictly within the narrow age windows of 5 to 7 years and 15 to 17 years. Any updates done outside of this timeframe would attract a charging fee of Rs. 125 per update. Following this recent notification, the update becomes absolutely free for all children between the age of 5 to 17 for the next year.
Aadhaar Accessibility Gets A Student-Friendly Boost
The waiver implies that more students will be able to keep their Aadhaar information updated without any financial constraints. Since Aadhaar is now highly important for accessing educational services and several government services, timely biometric updates will save students from possible disruption in availing of all benefits. Delay in verification of Aadhaar is often caused by outdated biometric data not just for school enrollments and board examinations but also for government schemes.
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Enabling Seamless Access to Education & Benefits
This paradigm shift in policies is forecasted to profoundly reduce school admissions, examination applications, scholarship eligibility and Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) schemes with updated Aadhaar records, students would easily avoid unnecessary delays to critical services. UIDAI’s initiative thus closes the gap between students and the benefits.
What Advisory for parents?
Government officials have requested parents and guardians to take full advantage of this time-limited waiver by updating the Aadhaar status of their children as soon as possible. Keeping these records updated not only avoids future inconvenience but also enables children to benefit from Aadhaar-linked services without any hurdles. The successful period for free updates stretches till September 30, 2026.
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