If you have children in the age group of 5 to 17 years in your house and their biometrics (fingerprints, iris and new photo) have not been updated in their Aadhaar card for a long time, then this news is very useful for you. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has given the facility to keep the 'Mandatory Biometric Update – MBU' being run for children completely free of cost till 30th September. After the expiry of this time limit, parents will have to pay the prescribed service fee to get the biometrics of their children updated. Why is it mandatory to update biometrics of children's Aadhaar twice? When 'Bal Aadhaar' (blue Aadhaar card) of children below 5 years of age is generated, at that time the card is issued only on the basis of their photograph and parents' details. At that time, biometrics were not taken because fingerprints and iris scans of children were not fully developed. As a child grows, his physical characteristics and biometrics change. As per UIDAI rules, it is mandatory to update biometrics at two major stages: First Mandatory Update (MBU-1): After the child completes 5 years of age (within 5 to 7 years). Second Mandatory Update (MBU-2): When the child turns 15 years of age (within 15 to 17 years), when the biometrics are completely stable as an adult. Free window till 30th September: After this, service charge of ₹ 125 will be levied. UIDAI has made mandatory biometric update free till 30th September for all children aged 5 to 17 years. If parents do not complete this process by the deadline of September 30, then a fee of ₹ 125 (including GST) per child will have to be paid at the Aadhaar Seva Kendra. If there are two or three children in the family, missing the date may put additional financial burden on the parents' pockets. What problems can arise if biometrics are not updated? In today's time, every official and educational process of children is related to Aadhaar Authentication. If biometrics are not updated on time, the following problems may arise: School and College Admission: Biometric mismatch may cause problems at the time of admission in the new academic session and registration for board examinations. Competitive Exams: JEE, NEET, CUET or other national level exams may be hampered by biometric verification at the exam centre. Government Scholarships and DBT: Various scholarships, cycle schemes or student welfare benefits offered by the government are sent directly to Aadhaar linked bank accounts, for which Aadhaar verification is required. Passport and SIM cards: Minor children may face hurdles in passport applications or document verification. Complete process of updating: Will not be done sitting at home, have to go to the center Necessary biometric details (10 fingerprints, scan of pupils of both eyes and live facial photograph) are recorded only by biometric machines, hence this process cannot be done online. Parents should take their child to the nearest authorized Aadhaar Seva Kendra (ASK), bank branch or post office. Also carry the original Aadhaar card or Aadhaar number and birth certificate/school ID of the child. All the biometrics of the child will be recorded by the operator and an acknowledgment slip will be given on the spot. Within a few days, the biometrics will be successfully updated on the UIDAI portal, the digital copy of which can be downloaded online. To avoid huge crowd at Aadhaar centers in the last days and slowness of servers, parents are advised to book a slot at the nearest Aadhaar center in time and get their children's biometric updated done without waiting for the last date of 30th September.
