Jharkhand Govt Facilitates Aadhaar Registration for Children Under 5 in Hospitals

Ranchi: The health department has decided to facilitate Aadhaar registration for children up to five years of age within govt-run medical institutions across the state. Dedicated Aadhaar enrolment centres will be established in all govt medical college hospitals, district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs), with the objective of simplifying the Bal Aadhaar registration process for children in the age group of 0–5 years.

Under the maiden initiative by the health department, the Aadhaar registration centres will be operated by CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, which was selected as the authorised agency. Each hospital or health centre will provide a dedicated space of approximately 200–250 square feet for the facility. The rooms will be equipped with essential infrastructure, including electricity, furniture and internet connectivity, to ensure smooth operations.


“Trained operators will carry out the enrolment process using tablets and biometric devices under a single-window system. After completion of registration, parents or guardians will be provided with an enrolment slip containing relevant deposit and acknowledgement details. The facility-based approach will help parents complete the Aadhaar process conveniently during hospital visits,” Additional chief secretary of health department, Ajoy Kumar Singh, said.

According to experts, Bal Aadhaar enrolment is applicable for children up to five years of age and is carried out on the basis of the child’s birth certificate along with the Aadhaar number of parents or guardians. For this age group, biometric data such as fingerprints or iris scans are not required. Only a photograph and essential demographic details of the child are recorded. An official of the health department said, “The absence of Aadhaar in the past created difficulties for many parents in obtaining birth certificates and availing govt services for their children.”

According to health department, Aadhaar enrolment among young children remains low, with only about 30 per cent of children in the 0–5 age group currently covered. Of an estimated 38 lakh children in this category, only around 11.5 lakh have Aadhaar cards. Officials said, “The new system aims to bridge this gap and ensure eligible children can access benefits under various central and state govt welfare schemes.”