DPI Brief — May 16, 2026

Aadhaar Identity Layer (L1): UIDAI Expands Digital Identity Services

UIDAI Extends Free Document Update Facility
UIDAI has extended the free Aadhaar document update deadline, now operational from June 15, 2026 through June 14, 2027¹. This allows citizens to update demographic and biometric details without paying the standard fees of ₹50 for demographic updates and ₹100 for biometric updates².

New Aadhaar App Replaces mAadhaar
UIDAI is retiring the legacy mAadhaar app and replacing it with a new Aadhaar app featuring enhanced security features including QR-based sharing, offline verification capabilities, and improved biometric controls³. Users are being urged to migrate their data to the new application before the old app is decommissioned⁴.

UIDAI CEO Highlights Aadhaar’s Role in Good Governance
UIDAI CEO Shri Vivek Chandra Verma delivered a keynote address at the ‘AI Transformation Conclave’, emphasizing the growing usage and utility of Aadhaar as a tool of good governance⁵. He underscored various features of the ecosystem that strengthen digital identity infrastructure⁶.

Offline Verification Expansion
UIDAI awarded OVSE certificates in Lucknow to seven firms promoting Aadhaar offline verification⁷. This initiative enables secure, privacy-friendly ID checks without requiring internet connectivity, expanding access to digital identity services in offline environments⁸.

Governance Layer (L6): Census 2027 Digital Self-Enumeration

Census 2027 Self-Enumeration Phase Concludes in Nagpur
The self-enumeration phase of India’s 16th National Census concluded in Nagpur on May 15, 2026, with citizens being asked to complete online registration before field surveys begin⁹. The digital registration process, which began on May 1, provides a final opportunity for residents to submit their details online¹⁰.

Online Census Portal
Citizens can complete the registration process by visiting se.census.gov.in¹¹. After filling out the online form, the head of the family receives an 11-digit SE ID¹². Field operations are scheduled to begin from May 16 and continue through June 14, 2026¹³.

Data Collection Scope
The census will record data related to family members, head of family, social category, and facilities including drinking water, electricity, sanitation, and LPG connections¹⁴.

Sectoral Layer (L5): Digital Public Infrastructure for Cultural Heritage

Madhya Pradesh Tribal Art Platform
Madhya Pradesh, home to the largest tribal population in India, showcased Gond and Baiga tribal art through the Aadirang platform¹⁵. This dedicated e-commerce and digital empowerment platform, launched in March 2021 by the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Department, enables tribal artists from forests in Dindori, Mandla, Shahdol, and adjoining regions to reach collectors across India and abroad without exploitative middlemen¹⁶.

Cultural Heritage as Economic Asset
The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board views tribal art not merely as cultural heritage but as a living economic and creative force integral to India’s identity¹⁷. Institutions such as the Tribal Museum in Bhopal continue to provide immersive cultural context to these traditions¹⁸.

Key DPI Developments

Labour Code Reforms for Migrant Workers
New labour code rules notified on May 8, 2026, provide significant protections for inter-state migrant workers¹⁹. The OSH&WC Code, 2020, which now operationalizes these rules, fundamentally rewrites the definition of an inter-state migrant worker under the new framework²⁰.

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