UIDAI's Expeditious Biometric Update Drive Empowers Over 1.2 Crore Students

The UIDAI successfully completed biometric updates for over 1.2 crore students across 1 lakh schools in six months. The drive, vital for accessing government benefits, is free for the 7-15 age group until October 2025. Integration with UDISE+ enhanced tracking and execution efficiency.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has reached a significant milestone by completing mandatory biometric updates for more than 1.2 crore school children across over one lakh schools within six months. This massive initiative was launched to ensure seamless access to benefits under various government schemes and facilitate participation in crucial examinations such as NEET and JEE.

The mandatory biometric update (MBU) drive, free of charge for children aged 7 to 15, began in October 2025 and allows updates at school camps or at Aadhaar enrolment centres nationwide. UIDAI's collaboration with the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) application has been instrumental in tracking and managing the progress of this mission.

The integration with UDISE+ enabled schools to identify students who required a biometric update, making it easier to conduct MBU camps efficiently. Currently, 4,000 machines are operational for this purpose, a number that is expected to increase to further streamline the process. Children under five years do not provide fingerprints or iris information, making MBU crucial as they grow older.

(With inputs from agencies.)