In a major move to expand social security coverage, the Central Government has announced the launch of the “Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2025”, starting November 1, 2025, and continuing until April 30, 2026.
The campaign aims to bring under the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) all those workers who were employed between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, but were not registered under the EPF scheme for any reason.
This initiative is part of the government’s ongoing effort to formalize the workforce and extend the umbrella of social security to more employees across the organized and semi-organized sectors.
Under this special campaign, employers will have the opportunity to register employees who were previously left out of the EPF system.
A key feature of the scheme is that if an employee’s contribution was not deducted from their salary, the government will waive the employee’s share of the EPF contribution. However, the employer must pay their own contribution for the period in question.
To encourage maximum participation, the government has set a nominal penalty of just ₹100 per employee, making the process simple, affordable, and attractive for businesses that want to rectify past compliance lapses.
This is not the first time such a drive has been launched. A similar enrolment campaign in 2017 allowed employers to register employees who had missed EPF coverage between 2009 and 2016. That initiative was widely successful and brought a large number of workers under the social security net.
Building on that experience, the new 2025 campaign aims to cover a wider timeframe and reach more establishments, ensuring that every eligible employee gets the benefits of provident fund savings, insurance, and pension under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
Employers who take part in this campaign may also be eligible for benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which provides incentives for generating new employment and registering workers under formal social security systems.
By linking this campaign with existing employment schemes, the government seeks to strengthen job creation, ensure compliance, and promote greater inclusivity in the organized workforce.
The government believes that the campaign will enhance transparency and accountability in the employment sector while giving workers long-term financial protection through EPF membership.
Employees who missed out earlier will now get access to benefits such as retirement savings, insurance cover, and pension eligibility.
For employers, the campaign offers an opportunity to correct past mistakes without facing heavy penalties or legal consequences, while simultaneously contributing to a more secure and formalized labour ecosystem.
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will provide an online enrolment platform to make the process faster and hassle-free. Both employers and employees can use the digital interface to verify details and complete registration within minutes.
By simplifying the process, the government expects a strong response from small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which often struggle with compliance due to lack of resources or awareness.
The “Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2025” marks another step in India’s mission to ensure universal social security for its workforce.
Officials expect that the initiative will bring thousands of unregistered workers into the formal fold, reinforce financial inclusion, and boost the nation’s commitment to equitable economic growth.
With this move, the government aims to ensure that no employee remains outside the safety net of the EPF system — making the country’s social protection framework stronger, fairer, and more inclusive.
