Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI, has waived charges for Aadhaar biometric updates for children aged 7 to 15 years. In a statement, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the waiver of Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) charges for this age group has already come into effect on 1st of October and will be in force for a period of one year.
This decision is expected to benefit approximately 6 crore children across the country.
Aadhaar enrollment for children under the age of five requires only basic demographic details, including name, photograph, date of birth, gender, and address. Biometrics like fingerprints or iris scans are not captured due to developmental factors.
As per the existing rules, the first mandatory biometric update, which includes the capture of fingerprints, iris, and updated photographs, is required when a child turns five. A second mandatory biometric update is required when the child reaches 15 years. The first and second Aadhaar biometric updates are free of cost for the age group of 5-7 and 15-17 years. After this, a prescribed fee of 125 rupees per Aadhaar biometric update is charged.