Apply for Aadhaar, driving license only with birth certificate from October 1

From October 1, birth certificates will be the only document needed to avail of several crucial services including Aadhaar application

From October 1, birth certificates will be the only document you will need to produce to avail of several crucial services including admission to an educational institution, registration of marriage, and applying for an Aadhaar card.

The development comes after Parliament passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, in the last monsoon session and President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on August 11.

“It will help create a database of registered births and deaths which eventually would ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits and digital registration,” stated the Union Ministry of Home Affairs while announcing the rollout of Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023.

Just birth certificates will also be enough for voter list preparation, applying for a driving license, and government job appointments.

Key changes

National birth and death registry: The Act grants authority to the Registrar General of India to oversee a national registry of births and deaths. State-appointed chief registrars and registrars will be obligated to contribute data to this national database.

Reporting requirements: Earlier, only specific individuals, such as medical officers, were responsible for reporting births and deaths. Now, the list has been expanded to include adoptive parents for non-institutional adoptions, biological parents for births through surrogacy, and single parents or unwed mothers.

Data sharing: Allows sharing of the national database with authorised entities such as population registers and electoral rolls, subject to central government approval. Similarly, state databases can be shared with state-approved authorities.

Appeals process: If anyone disagrees with a registrar or district registrar’s action or order, they can appeal to the respective district registrar or chief registrar within 30 days of receiving the order. The district registrar or chief registrar must give their decision within 90 days from the date of appeal.