5 crore kids, teens in UP haven’t updated their Aadhaar biometrics
Among these people, approximately 2.5 crore are children who have not updated their details after reaching a certain age, while the other 2.5 crore are individuals above the age of 15 who have not updated their biometrics even after becoming adults, shows data from 2010 to July 2024
LUCKNOW Over 5 crore children and teenagers in UP, which has a population of approximately 20 crore, have yet not updated their Aadhaar biometrics, including fingerprints and iris scans, as required by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). As a result, many teenagers are facing problems while filling forms for competitive exams like National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and availing welfare schemes, said UIDAI officials.
Among these people, approximately 2.5 crore are children who have not updated their details after reaching a certain age, while the other 2.5 crore are individuals above the age of 15 who have not updated their biometrics even after becoming adults, shows data from 2010 to July 2024.
Officials said about 200 teenagers rush to the Aadhaar centres every day to update their biometrics.
If a person was fours years old in 2010, and has now turned 18, without updating biometrics, he/she has reached adulthood without completing the required biometric update, explained said an official, citing an example.
Children below five years of age are registered for Aadhaar based on their photograph and biometrics authentication of their parents. However, between the age of 5 and 7, children must revisit the centre for free biometric updates within a specific time frame.
To locate the nearest centre, the official site https://bhuvan-app3.nrsc.gov.in/aadhaar/ can be visited.
The department has also started contacting schools and coaching institutes to spread awareness among teenagers and children about updating their biometrics, he added.
Additionally, people who have registered their mobile numbers for Aadhaar are being contacted to have their card updated from the nearest centres.
Individuals facing issues or encountering centres charging more than ₹100 for updation can contact helpline number 1947. In India, for every four people, only one has been issued Aadhaar card, while in Uttar Pradesh, it’s 1 in 5 people, he said.
UIDAI’s deputy director general, Prashant Kumar Singh, underlined the importance of individuals in age group 5-15 updating their biometrics. “This proactive measure will help prevent situations that may arise while availing welfare schemes and filling exam forms, as observed in cases where teenagers have had to rush to the department for last-minute updates,” he said.
The authority is not only encouraging people to complete their biometric registration but also organising essay-writing, painting and jingle competitions to create awareness on the issue. The participants are required to submit details of their drawing, jingle, or essay on A4 size paper and other details on the back of it. The deadline for the submission of details is August 16, read in a letter by the UIDAI.