Govt extends Unified Pension Scheme option deadline to 30 September 2025

Eligible central government employees, retirees, and spouses of deceased retirees now have until 30 September 2025 to opt into the Unified Pension Scheme

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The Union government on Monday announced a three-month extension to the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) opt-in deadline. Eligible current employees, retirees, and legally wedded spouses of deceased retirees now have until 30 September 2025—extended from the earlier 30 June 2025 timeline.

 

The newly announced regulations have taken effect from April 1, 2025. Under the UPS, three categories of central government employees are eligible for enrolment: existing employees in service as of April 1, 2025, who are already covered under the National Pension System (NPS); new recruits joining central government services on or after April 1, 2025; and employees who were covered under NPS but had superannuated, taken voluntary retirement, or retired under Fundamental Rule 56(j) on or before March 31, 2025. In cases where such a retiree has passed away without opting for UPS, their legally wedded spouse is also eligible. 

 

Subscribers under UPS are required to contribute 10 per cent of their basic pay—including non-practising allowance where applicable—and dearness allowance (DA) into their Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN). The central government will not only match this contribution with an equal amount but will also provide an additional contribution estimated at 8.5 per cent of the combined basic pay and DA to support the assured payout structure of UPS. 

 

The scheme guarantees a minimum pension of Rs 10,000 per month, provided the subscriber has completed at least 10 years of qualifying service. As per the earlier notification, the rate of full assured payout will be 50 per cent of the 12-month average basic pay immediately prior to superannuation, subject to a minimum qualifying service of 25 years—compared to a market-returns-linked payout under the NPS.

 

The notification provided the option to 2.3 million government employees to choose between UPS and NPS, the latter having come into effect on January 1, 2004.