The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), under the PM Modi-led government, has achieved a major milestone by completing mandatory biometric updates for over one crore schoolchildren.
The Information Technology Ministry confirmed the achievement in a statement issued on Sunday.
UIDAI delivered this outcome through a mission-mode programme covering nearly 83,000 schools across India.
The authority launched the special drive in September 2025 after completing a successful technology integration with the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+).
This integration enabled schools to track Aadhaar biometric update status directly.
Officials said the system allowed UIDAI and school administrations to jointly identify children due for Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBUs).
Schools then hosted on-site enrolment camps to complete the updates efficiently. The approach reduced logistical barriers and improved coverage at scale.
Under Aadhaar norms framed during the PM Modi administration, children below five years enrol using basic demographic details.
Authorities do not collect fingerprints or iris scans at that stage, as biometric features are not fully developed.
Children must therefore complete MBUs after crossing the ages of five and fifteen.
UIDAI stressed that timely biometric updates remain critical. Incomplete MBUs can disrupt Aadhaar authentication for government welfare benefits.
They can also affect registration for competitive and university-level examinations such as NEET, JEE, and CUET.
To encourage participation, UIDAI waived biometric update charges for children aged seven to fifteen from October 1, 2025, for one year.
Updates for children aged five to seven and fifteen to seventeen remain permanently free. This policy aligns with PM Modi’s focus on inclusive digital access.
Beyond school camps, children also completed updates at Aadhaar enrolment centres and Aadhaar Seva Kendras nationwide.
UIDAI recorded around 1.3 crore such transactions during the same period.
UIDAI Chief Executive Officer Bhuvnesh Kumar wrote to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, seeking administrative support.
He urged authorities to organise targeted school-based camps.
Eight UIDAI Regional Offices coordinated the exercise over five months.
They worked closely with State education departments, district administrations, registrars, and school authorities.
The mission-mode campaign continues until all schools across India complete coverage, reinforcing PM Modi’s digital governance agenda.
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