The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, February 8: In a major nationwide outreach initiative, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has successfully completed over one crore Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBUs) for school-going children, marking a significant milestone in strengthening Aadhaar coverage among minors.
The large-scale drive was executed in coordination with state education departments and district administrations, covering nearly 83,000 schools across the country within a span of just five months. The campaign was carried out in mission mode through UIDAI’s regional offices and remains ongoing to ensure that all schools nationwide are eventually covered.
The initiative was launched in September 2025 after UIDAI integrated its systems with the UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) platform. This integration enabled schools to identify students whose Aadhaar records required biometric updates, allowing targeted camps to be organised directly on school premises.
To ensure seamless coordination, UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar reached out to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, seeking administrative support for the focused rollout. UIDAI’s eight regional offices worked closely with education authorities, registrars, and school managements to implement the programme efficiently.
Mandatory Biometric Updates are crucial for children as Aadhaar enrolment below the age of five does not include fingerprint and iris data due to biological immaturity. These biometrics must be updated once children cross the ages of 5 years and 15 years. Failure to complete MBUs can create challenges in Aadhaar authentication, potentially affecting access to government welfare schemes and participation in national-level entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE, and CUET.
To encourage participation and remove financial barriers, UIDAI waived the MBU fee for children aged 7 to 15 years starting 1 October 2025 for a one-year period. Biometric updates for children aged 5–7 years and 15–17 years continue to remain free of cost.
Apart from school-based camps, UIDAI also facilitated MBUs through Aadhaar Enrolment Centres and Aadhaar Seva Kendras across India. During the same period, approximately 1.3 crore biometric updates were completed through these centres.
The initiative, undertaken as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, has already benefited one crore children and is expected to cover many more in the coming months, reinforcing Aadhaar’s role in ensuring smooth access to education-related services and government benefits.
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