Unified Pension Scheme BIG UPDATE: All new central govt employees who want to join UPS must submit…, PFRDA issues deadline for…

The scheme is applicable to new recruits joining the Central Government services on or after 01.04.2025, and offers an option to existing Central Government employees under NPS to opt into UPS.

Written by: Analiza Pathak Edited by: Analiza Pathak

Updated: September 26, 2025, 11:55 AM IST

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https://www.india.com/business/unified-pension-scheme-big-update-all-new-central-govt-employees-who-want-to-join-ups-must-submit-form-a1-before-sept-30-pfrda-issues-deadline-for-pran-8098605/ Copy

Unified Pension Scheme BIG UPDATE: All new central govt employees who want to join UPS must submit..., PFRDA issues deadline for...

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has asked all new central government employees who want to join the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to submit their Form A1 before September 30, 2025. According to the notification, employees who joined the central government on or after April 1, 2025, should submit the completed form in person to their nodal office, head of their training institute, or head of their current institute, depending on where they are posted. After receiving the forms, the institute heads will forward them to the cadre controlling authority or DDO to generate the employee’s Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN).

PFRDA noted that many new employees posted at different locations may not have submitted their forms yet. Submitting it on time is essential to ensure they can receive the pension benefits under UPS.

What is the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)?

The Indian government recently introduced the UPS for central government employees as part of the National Pension System (NPS). The scheme became operational from April 1, 2025.

Unlike the regular NPS, which is market-linked and depends on stock and bond performance, UPS guarantees a fixed pension. Employees and the government both contribute regularly to the fund, which is used to provide a monthly payout after retirement. The pension under UPS is calculated based on the employee’s last drawn salary, giving them a secure and predictable income after they retire.

UPS Offers Guaranteed Pension, Unlike NPS

While the NPS depends on market performance, the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) is low-risk because the pension is guaranteed.

• NPS: Pension depends on the total corpus accumulated from investments in equity and debt.
• UPS: Employees are assured a minimum pension of ₹10,000 per month after completing 10 years of service.

How to Shift from NPS to UPS (Online Step-by-Step)

Who can apply

• Central government employees in service as of April 1, 2025
• Currently enrolled under NPS
• Wish to switch to UPS for assured pension

Here’s how to apply 

• Visit the eNPS Portal https://enps.nsdl.com/eNPS/NationalPensionSystem.html
• Click “NPS to UPS Migration” under the Unified Pension Scheme section
• Enter Your Details i.e. PRAN (Permanent Retirement Account Number), date of birth, solve the captcha, click “verify PRAN”, OTP verification
• You’ll get an OTP on your registered mobile or email, Enter the OTP to proceed
• Read and accept the declaration
• A declaration window will appear
• Read it carefully and tick the box to accept
• Click “Proceed to e-Sign”

Note: Once submitted, this choice is final and cannot be changed

You can also apply offline by: Downloading Form A2 from: https://www.npscra.nsdl.co.in/ups.php. Submitting it to your nodal office, who will process it on the CRA portal.