Haj 2025 registration process begins; portal for applications now open

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India's quota for Haj 2025 remained the same as 2024 at 1,75,025 as Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju opened the process for applying for the pilgrimage through the Haj Committee of India on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.

For the first time, the applications have been invited on the Haj Suvidha App in addition to the website of Haj Committee of India, an official statement said.

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A helpline of the Haj Committee of India along with dedicated channels on the social media are being operationalised to help the pilgrims applying for Haj 2025.

"We have launched the Haj Committee portal for 2025. This is the first time in India that the preparations for Haj has been started in India. The applications and arrangements for the 2025 Haj have already been started. We want the process for the Haj 2025 to be completed without any issues," Rijiju told reporters.

"There is a large Muslim population in India and a lot of people participate in Haj so our arrangements need to be very good," he added.

The government has been continuously striving to make the Haj pilgrimage easier and convenient for the Indian Haj pilgrims and a series of reforms are being progressively introduced in this context, reported PTI.

"One of the biggest reforms carried out in Haj administration has been to allow Muslim women of the age of 45 years or above to perform Haj without Mehram (male companion) under the Ladies without Mehram (LWM) category. An all-time high number of 4558 ladies have performed Haj under the LWM category in 2024 and efforts will be made to Haj more accessible and easier for LWM during Haj-2025," the statement said, reported PTI.

Continuing this trajectory of reforms, the 'Haj Suvidha App' was launched during Haj-2024 to leverage information technology for enhancing the pilgrimage experience.

The App provides the pilgrims access to training content, accommodation and flight details, baggage information, an emergency helpline (SOS), grievance redressal, feedback, language translation, and miscellaneous information and services related to the pilgrimage and also facilitates better coordination and control of the pilgrims by the Indian administration in Saudi Arabia.

For Haj-2025, the process of Haj preparation has been initiated early, with the Haj Review Meeting being conducted on July 19, 2024 under the chairmanship of Rijiju and the Haj Policy-2025 being announced on August 5, 2024.

The government seeks to avail the early mover advantage and secure the best and possible arrangements in terms of accommodation, transport, logistics, etc. for our pilgrims in Saudi Arabia for Haj 2025, it would be mandatory for the pilgrims aged 65 or above to be accompanied by a companion with highest priority in allotment being given to the 65 or above age category.

This age criteria was earlier 70 years and now it has been reduced due to arduous and strenuous nature of pilgrimage and harsh climatic conditions in Saudi Arabia.

This reflects the government's commitment towards ensuring well being of its citizens, even on foreign soil. This will also ensure that all pilgrims of 65 years of age or above, intending to proceed for Haj for the first time, would get assured allotment of seats for Haj 2025. A significant administrative measure being taken for Haj-2025 to ensure greater ease of processing and documentation, is the doing away with the requirement of depositing of physical passports with the Haj Committee of India for a period of 4-5 months, reported PTI.

Passport offices across the country have also been instructed to expedite the issue of passports applied for by citizens for Haj purposes, the statement said.

The government has been providing efficient healthcare services to the Haj pilgrims, both before their departure from India, as well as during their pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, it said.

The medical history and present physical condition of all intending Haj pilgrims would be evaluated. The physical copy of Health Card of the pilgrims would also be linked to the Haj Suvidha App in Haj 2025 so as to facilitate easy accessibility of data and an augmented response mechanism in dealing with instances of medical distress and emergencies.

State Haj Inspectors, who are officials of the Central and state governments (known as Khadim-ul-hujjaj till Haj-2024), are being deputed at a higher ratio of 1:150 pilgrims, as against the earlier 1:300 pilgrims, in order to better aid, assist and guide the pilgrims during Haj-2025, the statement said, reported PTI.

Capitalising on the preparations for Haj 2025 being done much in advance, rigorous training of the trainers, government officials to be temporarily deployed for Haj-2025, and the pilgrims would be conducted in order to ensure better sensitisation, coherence and discipline during the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

(With inputs from PTI)