The central government has made an important change regarding age proof for government schemes.
Now, the date of birth mentioned on the Aadhaar card will no longer be accepted as final proof for getting benefits.
Aadhaar card will now be treated only as a proof of identity, not age.
Which Documents Will Be Valid Now?
As per the new rules, only these documents will be accepted as valid proof of age:
Educational certificates
Family register records
Earlier, people could use the date of birth on Aadhaar to apply for schemes.
But now, eligibility will be decided based on verified documents only.
Why Did the Government Change This Rule?
The government took this decision to prevent misuse of schemes.
Officials said that the date of birth on Aadhaar is often self-declared.
This means there is a higher chance of incorrect information being used to get benefits unfairly.
To improve transparency and ensure the right people get benefits, only officially verified documents will now be accepted.
At present, Aadhaar-based age proof is already not accepted in schemes like:
Old age pension
Widow pension
Mass marriage schemes
What Was the Rule Earlier?
Earlier, Aadhaar was used as both identity and age proof in many government schemes.
There was no separate verification of date of birth.
Authorities directly relied on the details mentioned in Aadhaar.
According to officials, this made the system simpler, but also increased the chances of errors or misuse.
What Is a Family Register?
A family register is an official government record maintained by local authorities like village panchayats or municipal bodies.
It includes important details of all family members, such as:
Name
Age
Relationship
Gender
Occupation
Since this document is verified by government officials, it is now considered a reliable proof of age.
Final Takeaway
This new rule aims to make government schemes more transparent and fair.
People will now need proper, verified documents to prove their age instead of relying only on Aadhaar.
