Aadhaar Now Required for PM CARES for Children Scholarship
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has made Aadhaar authentication, or proof of having an Aadhaar number, mandatory for beneficiaries of the Special Scholarship Scheme under PM CARES for Children, according to a notification dated October 14. The scheme supports the schooling of children from Class 1 to 12 who lost their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic.
No Child to Be Left Out, Says Notification
The notification states that the benefit “shall not be denied to any child” who fails authentication or does not have an Aadhaar number. In such cases, identity and the relationship with a parent or legal guardian will be checked through other documents. For children under 18, these include an Aadhaar enrolment slip along with a birth certificate, passport or board certificate. Adults without Aadhaar can use a voter ID, ration card, passport or driving licence with the enrolment slip.
If fingerprint or other biometric checks fail, another method or OTP-based verification will be offered where possible, and the department will help unregistered beneficiaries enrol. Guardians should keep these documents ready to avoid delays in payments. See our earlier explainer on valid forms of Aadhaar.
Based on reporting by News On AIR and ETV Bharat / PTI.
Image: UIDAI / Wikimedia Commons (specimen card).
