PFRDA issues regulations for implementation of Unified Pension Scheme

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), through a gazette notification dated March 19, 2025, has issued regulations for the operationalisation of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) under the National Pension System (NPS), 2025.

This follows the Government of India's January 24, 2025 notification introducing UPS for Central Government employees covered under NPS. The new regulations will take effect from April 1, 2025.

The regulations enable the enrolment of three categories of Central Government employees:

The enrolment categories include an existing central government employee in service as on April 1, 2025, who is covered under NPS, a new recruit in the central government services who joins service on or after the 1st day of April 2025; and a central government employee who was covered under NPS and who has superannuated or voluntarily retired or has retired under Fundamental Rules 56(j) on or before March 31, 2025, and is eligible for UPS or the legally wedded spouse in case of a subscriber who has superannuated or retired and has demised prior to exercising the option for UPS.

The enrolment and claim forms for all these categories of central government employees will be available online on the Protean CRA website from April 1, 2025.

The employees also have the option to submit the forms physically.