PM CARES for Children Scheme: Aadhaar authentication mandatory for scholarship benefits, no child to be denied assistance

PM CARES for Children Scheme

The Centre has made Aadhaar authentication or proof of possession of an Aadhaar number necessary for children seeking scholarship benefits under the PM CARES for Children Scheme. However, children will not be denied assistance if they do not have an Aadhaar number or are unable to complete authentication.In a notification issued on October 14, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said beneficiaries of the Special Scholarship Scheme under PM CARES for Children must undergo Aadhaar authentication or provide proof that they possess an Aadhaar number.The scheme provides financial assistance to children for continuing their education from Class 1 to Class 12.The notification states that applicants seeking benefits under the scheme will be required to complete Aadhaar authentication or submit proof of possession of an Aadhaar number. However, it also makes clear that the absence of Aadhaar will not be a reason to deny assistance.“The benefit under the said scheme shall not be denied to any child” who cannot establish their identity through Aadhaar authentication, does not have proof of an Aadhaar number or has applied for Aadhaar enrolment but has not yet received a number, the notification said.In such cases, officials will verify the child’s identity and establish their relationship with a parent or legal guardian through the prescribed documents.

What happens if a child does not have Aadhaar?

Beneficiaries who have not been assigned an Aadhaar number will have to apply for enrolment. For children, the application must be made with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.The department will also help beneficiaries who have not enrolled for Aadhaar and assist them in updating their Aadhaar details.Until an Aadhaar number is assigned, children below 18 years can submit an enrolment acknowledgement containing their Enrolment ID, along with a document proving their age.The accepted age-proof documents include:

Children must also submit a document bearing a photograph to establish their relationship with a parent or legal guardian. The prescribed documents include a ration card, Indian passport and caste or domicile certificate issued by an authorised officer, among others.

Documents required for beneficiaries aged 18 years and above

Beneficiaries aged 18 years or older who have not received an Aadhaar number must submit an enrolment acknowledgement containing their Enrolment ID along with an approved identity document bearing their photograph.The documents listed in the notification include:

The documents must meet the requirements mentioned in the notification.

Rules for foreign national beneficiaries

The notification also sets out alternative documents for foreign national children below 18 years who have not been assigned an Aadhaar number.These include an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card for OCI cardholders, a registration certificate issued by a Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for Tibetan refugees, and a Nepalese or Bhutanese passport for nationals of those countries.In cases involving legal guardianship, beneficiaries may submit an adoption order or another document issued by a competent authority that establishes legal guardianship.

Alternative verification allowed if Aadhaar authentication fails

The Centre has also provided for alternative authentication methods when Aadhaar verification fails because of poor-quality biometric information or other reasons.The notification states that if one biometric-based authentication method is unsuccessful, another biometric method or one-time password (OTP)-based authentication should be offered wherever feasible and permitted.The department will maintain records of cases in which children receive benefits through this alternative verification process. These cases will be reviewed periodically and subjected to audits.For genuine beneficiaries aged 18 years and above, the department will follow the exception-handling process set out in an Office Memorandum dated December 19, 2017, issued by the Direct Benefit Transfer Mission under the Cabinet Secretariat.The notification aims to establish identity verification requirements for scholarship beneficiaries while ensuring that children are not denied educational assistance only because they do not have an Aadhaar number or cannot complete authentication.(with PTI inputs)