In a significant move to streamline government service access from birth, newborns in India can now be enrolled for Aadhaar as soon as they receive their birth certificate. While biometric data such as fingerprints and iris scans will not be collected for children under five, parents must ensure mandatory biometric updates at age 5 and again at 15. These updates must be completed before the child turns 7 and 17, respectively, to continue receiving Aadhaar services free of cost. Failure to comply may render the Aadhaar card invalid.
Officials have also emphasized the importance of linking a mobile number and email ID to the child’s Aadhaar, as many government services are delivered through OTP-based verification. To ease the process, services like name addition, biometric updates, and contact linking are available at Akshaya Centres and other authorized Aadhaar enrollment centers.
Parents are urged to update biometrics on time to avoid complications during registrations for exams like NEET and JEE, which often require Aadhaar verification.
For more information, citizens can contact the Aadhaar helplines at 1800-4251-1800 / 0471-2335523 or the IT Mission Aadhaar Section at 0471-2525442.
