The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has saturated more than 1,03,000 schools across the country under its special drive for Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) in Aadhaar, benefiting nearly 1.2 crore schoolchildren so far.
The large-scale mission, launched in September 2025, aims to facilitate hassle-free biometric updates for children aged 7 to 15 years by conducting camps directly within school campuses.
The drive gained momentum following UIDAI’s technological integration with the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) application of the Department of School Education & Literacy.
This integration enabled real-time visibility of students’ biometric update status at the school level, allowing authorities to identify children due for updates and organise targeted camps.
UIDAI’s Regional and State Offices have been coordinating closely with State Education Departments, district administrations, schools, and ecosystem partners to ensure smooth implementation of the exercise.
At least 4,000 biometric machines are currently in operation to carry out the drive, and UIDAI is in the process of increasing this number to accelerate coverage nationwide.
The Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) said that updating children’s biometrics is crucial to ensure seamless Aadhaar authentication for availing benefits under various government schemes and scholarships. It is also essential for registration in competitive and university entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE and CUET.
The mission-mode MBU drive is being conducted over six months. Notably, UIDAI has made biometric updates in Aadhaar free of cost for children in the 7–15 age group for one year starting October 1, 2025.
Apart from school-based camps, children and their parents or guardians can also complete the biometric update by visiting Aadhaar enrolment centres and Aadhaar Seva Kendras across the country.
