The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has introduced a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that categorises name updates based on the nature of the change, requiring different documents for each case. Issued last month and effective from September 18, the revised SOP replaces UIDAI's 2021 procedure and covers everything from minor spelling corrections and marriage-related changes to complete name changes. According to reports from Business Standard, the new procedure is handled at Aadhaar enrolment or update centres, where applicants must submit the applicable documents and complete verification. The revised framework makes the nature of the name change the starting point for deciding what evidence an Aadhaar holder needs to provide.
UIDAI treats several routine corrections as minor name changes, including expanding initials or abbreviations, adding or removing a middle or last name, changing the sequence of names, correcting minor spelling mistakes where the names are phonetically similar, removing dots from names, and correcting random capitalisation. For example, a name can be corrected from "RaMesh" to "Ramesh", while dots can be removed from names such as "R.P. Singh". Depending on the correction, applicants may need to submit a valid Proof of Identity (PoI) document at an Aadhaar Enrolment or Update Centre. The updated Aadhaar name will follow the spelling, sequence and abbreviation appearing in the document submitted for the change. Certain formatting-related corrections, including removal of randomly occurring capital letters and dots, can be made without documents under the specified procedure.
The revised rules separately cover surname changes following marriage or divorce, requiring applicants to submit the prescribed Annexure D affidavit along with Proof of Identity (PoI). The affidavit confirms that the change is related to marriage or divorce and does not involve a change of identity. According to Business Standard, the SOP also includes specific provisions for changes following a gender change and for children whose Aadhaar name is recorded as "Baby of" before they receive an actual name. In such cases, the prescribed affidavit and applicable PoI must be submitted, with a surname change not treated in the same way as a complete change of identity.
If the original document submitted during enrolment or an earlier update carried the correct name but the Aadhaar record was entered incorrectly, it is treated as a data-entry error. For adults, the prescribed Annexure B affidavit along with PoI or Proof of Relationship (PoR) is required. For minors, the applicable Annexure C affidavit with PoI or PoR is prescribed. A separate process applies when the English name is correct but the regional-language version contains an error. This distinction is important because a data entry error is different from a person subsequently deciding to change their name.
A complete change of name or a change that amounts to a different identity is classified as a Major Name Change, requiring a Gazette Notification along with the prescribed identity documents. According to Business Standard, the revised process requires different documentation based on the nature of the change, with specific requirements for marriage-related changes, gender changes, and corrections to Aadhaar data-entry errors. The applicable PoI must be accompanied by a Gazette notification relating to the name change. UIDAI will also verify the genuineness of the documents submitted, including identity or relationship proofs, affidavits and Gazette notifications wherever applicable. The most significant difference is that where the proposed change amounts to a complete change of name or a change in the identity of the Aadhaar holder, the request cannot be processed merely on the basis of an ordinary identity document.
