UIDAI Waives Aadhaar Biometric Update Charges for Children Aged 7–15
In a major pro-people initiative, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced a complete waiver of charges for Aadhaar’s Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU-1) for children aged between 7 and 15 years. The move, which came into effect on October 1, 2025, will remain valid for one year and is expected to benefit nearly 6 crore children across the country.
Under the existing Aadhaar enrolment process, children below five years are registered without capturing their fingerprints and iris scans, as these biometrics are not fully developed. Biometric updates are therefore mandatory when the child turns five (first MBU) and again at fifteen years (second MBU).
Previously, biometric updates conducted outside the age windows of 5–7 years or 15–17 years attracted a charge of ₹125 per update. With the latest decision, UIDAI has made all MBUs for children between 5 and 17 years completely free of cost.
The UIDAI said the decision will help simplify children’s access to essential services such as school admissions, scholarship benefits, entrance examinations, and various DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) schemes.
Parents and guardians have been urged to get their children’s Aadhaar biometrics updated at the earliest to ensure seamless use of Aadhaar for education and welfare-related services.
