The Unique Identification Authority of India has waived off all charges for mandatory biometric update of Aadhaar for children, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in a statement on Saturday. The fee waiver has already kicked in, effective October 1 and will be in force for a period of one year.
As per existing rules, children's fingerprints, iris and photo are mandatorily required to be updated Aadhaar after attaining the age of five years and second update is required to be done between the age of 15-17 years. These updates are allowed without any fee for children aged 5-7 years and those in the age group of 15-17 years.
When the child turns five, fingerprints, iris, and a new photograph must be mandatorily updated — known as the first Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU). A second update is required at age 15, referred to as MBU-2.
Until now, these biometric updates were free only if done between the ages of 5–7 and 15–17. Beyond that window, a fee of Rs 125 was applicable. With the new waiver, MBUs will now be free for all children between 5 and 17 years, regardless of when they are carried out.
According to the ministry, updated biometrics in Aadhaar ensure ease of living and seamless access to services such as school admissions, entrance examinations, scholarships, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes.
Parents and guardians have been advised to update their children’s Aadhaar biometrics at the earliest to ensure continued access to these services, the ministry said.
*With Agency Inputs
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