This is a massive relief for parents and a smart move by the UIDAI to boost compliance. They are wiping out the update fee for kids’ Aadhaar biometrics for a whole year.
The key thing to know is that this is about the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU)—the required checks that happen as a child grows.
Here is the raw breakdown:
Free Aadhaar Biometrics: Fees Waived for Children Aged 5–17
This is an administrative decision with a huge scope, expected to benefit roughly six crore children across the country. The charges for the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) are now zero for the 5-17 age group.
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Effective Date: October 1st.
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Duration: One full year.
Why This Matters
When kids enroll for Aadhaar under age five, they only give demographic details and a photograph. Their biometrics (fingerprints, iris scans) aren’t captured because they aren’t mature yet. The system needs two mandatory updates:
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First MBU: Required when the child turns five years old.
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Second MBU: Required when the child reaches 15 years old.
Before this waiver, updates outside the narrow 5-7 and 15-17 windows could cost money—about ₹125 per update. Now, the UIDAI has decided: forget the fee for anyone between 5 and 17, for a year, to clear the backlog.
The whole point is smooth access. An updated, accurate Aadhaar is essential for school admissions, entrance exams, and accessing scholarship or Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes. Parents need to prioritize this now while the window is free.
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