The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is taking a behavioural approach to increase the rate of Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBU) for children. Partnering with the UK-based Behavioural Insights Ltd (BIT), UIDAI plans to design and test interventions that address low awareness, logistical challenges, and behavioural barriers that often delay these updates.
The initiative follows UIDAI’s decision to waive all charges for biometric updates in the 7–15 age group, a move expected to benefit nearly 6 crore children over the next year. The partnership aims to ensure that children continue to have seamless access to government services linked to Aadhaar as they grow older.
Behavioural Science Meets Public Policy
The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by Tanusree Deb Barma, Deputy Director General, UIDAI, and Ravi Gurumurthy, Group CEO, BIT, formalises a collaboration that merges data-driven behavioural research with digital public infrastructure.
Under the agreement, BIT will help UIDAI design and implement tailored behavioural interventions to encourage parents and guardians to complete Aadhaar updates at the critical age milestones of five and fifteen years. This could include timely reminders, simplified booking processes, and community-level awareness programs to reduce missed updates.
“When technology is aligned with human behaviour, digital identity evolves from a technical process into a more seamless and empowering experience,” said Bhuvnesh Kumar, CEO, UIDAI. BIT’s leadership added that an evidence-based understanding of human behaviour can significantly improve compliance and help ensure that every child maintains uninterrupted access to essential services.
Waiver Expected to Boost Update Rates
Every child enrolled in Aadhaar must update their biometric details — fingerprints, iris scans, and photographs — at age 5 and again at 15. Delays in these updates can prevent successful authentication for welfare schemes and government benefits.
By combining a fee waiver with behavioural nudges, UIDAI hopes to substantially raise compliance rates. The authority said this one-year waiver, effective October 1, 2025, is part of its wider effort to make Aadhaar more inclusive, accessible, and reliable for children and young adults.
Next Step: Pilot Testing and Scale-Up
The collaboration will begin with pilot projects in select states, where interventions will be tested for impact before being scaled nationally. UIDAI plans to evaluate the success of the program based on update completion rates and service access improvements among children.
This marks one of UIDAI’s most people-centric initiatives to date — positioning behavioural science as a key driver of policy execution within India’s digital identity framework.
