New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has completed more than 2 crore Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBU) for schoolchildren under a nationwide special drive, taking the Aadhaar update service directly to students through school-level camps.
The mission-mode initiative, launched in September 2025, has so far covered more than 1.56 lakh schools across the country through coordination between UIDAI and State and Union Territory education departments.
2 Crore Children Complete Mandatory Biometric Updates
The initiative has been designed to make Aadhaar biometric updates more accessible for children by bringing the service closer to them through dedicated camps at schools.
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Key milestones under the drive
- 2 crore+: Mandatory Biometric Updates completed
- 1.56 lakh+: Schools covered
- September 2025: Special drive launched
- 5 and 15 years: Ages at which MBU is required
- September 30, 2026: Current deadline for free MBU across the 5–17 age group
UIDAI’s integration with the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) has enabled authorities to track the MBU status of children through school-level data.
Why Children Need Aadhaar Biometric Updates
When Aadhaar is initially issued to children below five years of age, only demographic details and a photograph are captured. Fingerprints and iris information are not collected because these biometric characteristics are still developing.
Mandatory Biometric Updates allow children’s Aadhaar records to be refreshed as they grow.
MBU is required twice during childhood
- At age 5: The child’s biometric information is updated as they grow beyond early childhood.
- At age 15: Another biometric update is required during adolescence.
Timely updates can help maintain smoother Aadhaar authentication as children move through school, higher education and various government and public services.
MBU Free for Children Aged 5–17 Till September 2026
UIDAI has taken steps to make the update process more affordable for families.
The authority waived MBU charges for children aged 7–15 years from October 1, 2025, initially for one year. Updates for children in the 5–7 years and 15–17 years age groups were already free.
As a result, Mandatory Biometric Updates are currently free for children aged 5–17 years until September 30, 2026.
Aadhaar Update Can Help Avoid Authentication Issues
UIDAI has urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children’s biometric details are updated on time.
A lack of timely MBU may create difficulties with Aadhaar authentication while accessing certain government services and benefits.
It can also become relevant when students register for competitive and higher-education examinations, including:
- NEET
- JEE
- CUET
- University and other examinations requiring Aadhaar authentication
School-Level Camps Make Updates More Accessible
The special drive has shifted much of the process closer to students by organising dedicated camps within schools.
The collaboration between UIDAI, State/UT education departments and schools has helped reach children directly, reducing the need for families to separately seek out Aadhaar update facilities.
The authority said the initiative is aimed at ensuring that children’s Aadhaar records remain updated while making the process more convenient for students and their families.
Background: Unique Identification Authority of India
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established by the Government of India under the Aadhaar Act, 2016. It is responsible for the enrolment and authentication of Aadhaar numbers and for ensuring the security and confidentiality of Aadhaar-related information.
UIDAI operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and oversees the country’s Aadhaar ecosystem, which provides a digital identity framework used for authentication and access to various services and benefits.
