Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State IT Mission, the nodal agency for Aadhaar in the state, has announced that mandatory Aadhaar updates for children aged 5 to 17 will now be available free of cost.

Previously, only the mandatory update at age 5 (to be done by age 7) and the biometric update at age 15 (to be done by age 17) were eligible for free updates. As per the new directive, children between the ages of 7 and 15 can also avail free biometric Aadhaar updates for a limited period.

The State IT Mission director urged all eligible children who have not yet completed the mandatory biometric updates to make use of this opportunity.

Newborns can also be enrolled for Aadhaar. For children from birth to five years, biometric data (fingerprints and iris scan) will not be collected at the time of Aadhaar enrolment. During enrolment, the child’s birth certificate must be submitted. Authorities stated that completing Aadhaar enrolment as soon as the birth certificate is available will help in easier access to government services in the future.

For Aadhaar-related queries and complaints, citizens can contact 1800-4251-1800 or 0471-2335523. Alternatively, they can call the Kerala State IT Mission (Aadhaar Section) at 0471-2525442 or email uidhelpdesk@kerala.gov.in.