The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has waived the fee for Aadhaar biometric updates for children aged 7 to 15. The central government said this exemption will be valid for one year. The free Aadhaar update will help children with education, scholarships, direct bank transfers, and other government schemes.
The government said the fee waiver is for mandatory biometric updates. About six crore children are expected to benefit. The waiver started on October 1 and will remain valid for one year.
Children below the age of five are enrolled in Aadhaar with their photograph, name, date of birth, gender, address, and birth certificate. Biometrics for children under five are not taken during Aadhaar enrolment. According to the rules, fingerprints, iris scans, and photographs must be updated when the child reaches 18. This is called the First Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU).
Complimentary Biometric Update for Minors
Furthermore, when the child turns 15 years old, they will need to update biometrics again. This is referred to as the second Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU). The first and second MBUs performed from ages 5-7 and 15-17 will now not incur a fee. Previously, an amount of ₹125 was charged for each mandatory biometric update. Now, all children ages 5 to 17 can have their biometrics updated free of charge.
The cost of modifying the Aadhaar card will become more expensive for information such as name, address or photo. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has changed the fees. An extra fee of ₹15 to ₹25 will now be assessed for any modifications to the Aadhaar card.