Aadhaar Not Proof of Birth: UP and Maharashtra Enforce Stricter Verification Rules

Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have issued orders making Aadhaar cards unacceptable as proof of birth or date of birth, with immediate effect. This move, notified on November 27-28, 2025, intends to prevent the misuse of Aadhaar in order to obtain fraudulent birth certificates, especially those concerning delayed registration. Although the Aadhaar remains valid for the purpose of identifying any citizen, citizens would now have to use certified documents such as municipal birth certificates or hospital records.

Why the Change? Official Reasons from States

• Uttar Pradesh Directive: Special Secretary Amit Singh Bansal in the Planning Department explained, "No birth certificate is attached to the Aadhaar card, and so it cannot be treated as a birth certificate." All departments should reject the Aadhaar meant for verification of births to avoid irregularities in appointments, promotions, welfare schemes, and school admissions.

• Maharashtra Measures: After the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act, 2023, the Revenue Department made it compulsory to cancel the birth certificate issued only on Aadhaar after August 2023. As many as 16-point verifications are in place, and for investigations into unauthorized registrations, high-risk areas like Amravati, Akola, and Latur have been targeted.

• UIDAI Stance: UIDAI has long clarified that Aadhaar is not an authoritative document to ascertain age, citing court rulings. Demographic data provided through it does not contain certified birth records.

• The move addresses fraud concerns such as obtaining fake delayed certificates by illegal immigrants or locals using mismatched Aadhaar details.

What Changes for Citizens?

• Impacted Services: Admissions to school/college, applications for jobs, pensions, updating of voter IDs, issuance of passports, and welfare benefits all require alternatives such as birth certificates, high school marksheets, or hospital discharge summaries.

• Immediate Effect: The existing certificates, which are solely based on Aadhaar in Maharashtra, are liable to be cancelled and re-verified by district collectors. UP departments have been asked to update protocols without delay.

• Limited Aadhaar: It would remain valid for identity-only purposes, like the KYC. The UIDAI enumeration lists more than 50 supporting documents for Aadhaar updates themselves, excluding the Aadhaar as self-proof.

Valid Alternatives to Aadhaar

Is Aadhaar rejected nationwide or only in UP and Maharashtra?

Currently limited to these states, but UIDAI's stance applies to the entire country. Other states may join in on the heels of similar fraud concerns; always check local rules.

What if I already have a birth certificate based on Aadhaar?

In Maharashtra, post-2023 certificates will be canceled, reapply with valid proof. UP advises immediate switch to alternatives; no mass cancellation reported yet. 

How to get a valid birth certificate now? 

Apply through Municipal Corporation/Gram Panchayat along with Hospital Records or Affidavits in cases of delay. Online portals like CRS are making the issuance easy. 

Does it impact Aadhaar enrolment or updates? 

None: Aadhaar updates require listed PoB documents, but Aadhaar itself is not PoB; UIDAI mandates original for DOB corrections. 

What about minors or NRIs? 

Minors produce school records/parental birth certificates while NRIs submit through the Indian missions, with attested documents. States emphasize hospital/municipal primacy.  

This rejection of the 'Aadhaar' as a supporting document for one's birth indicates a push towards robust documentation amid rising fraud alerts, per the UIDAI guidelines. Citizens are supposed to get certified alternatives urgently so that service provision is not disrupted.