The Uttar Pradesh government has clarified that Aadhaar cannot be used as proof of date of birth for any official purpose.
Despite repeated warnings from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), many schools, colleges, and offices in the state continued to treat Aadhaar as a birth document.
This move aims to prevent misuse and maintain accurate records across government and educational institutions.
Why Aadhaar Is Not Valid for DOB Verification
UIDAI’s Lucknow office explained that Aadhaar was never meant to serve as a birth certificate.
Aadhaar data is created in three ways:
Approximate birth dates
Self-declared dates without documentation
Document-backed dates
For approximate dates, UIDAI often defaults to January 1 of the stated year, making Aadhaar unreliable for exact date-of-birth verification.
UIDAI emphasized that Aadhaar is only a digital identity document, not proof of age, nationality, or birth.
New Guidelines for Government Departments
Amit Singh Bansal, Special Secretary of the Planning Department, issued a statewide directive instructing all departments to:
Stop accepting Aadhaar as proof of birth date
Accept only legitimate birth certificates for DOB verification
Comply fully with UIDAI guidelines
This ensures consistent documentation and prevents Aadhaar misuse.
Which Documents Are Now Accepted
According to the amended Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969:
Birth certificates must be issued within 21 days of birth (free of charge)
Delayed certificates require a nominal fee
Certificates older than one year must be issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate
Only barcode-enabled digital birth certificates (post-2020) are considered authentic
Why This Clarification Matters
Many schools, colleges, and local authorities had been incorrectly demanding Aadhaar for DOB verification, causing confusion.
The updated order aims to:
Prevent fraud
Maintain accurate demographic records
Align with national digital verification standards
Reduce misuse of Aadhaar for unintended purposes
UIDAI reaffirmed that Aadhaar should be used only for identity verification, not for proving age, birth, or citizenship.
A Push for Cleaner, Standardised Documentation
This clarification reinforces a nationwide effort to ensure Aadhaar remains a secure digital ID, while official documents like birth certificates retain their legal primacy in verifying date of birth.
