Unified Pension System Notification: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has issued rules to implement the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). These rules will come into effect from April 1, 2025. This scheme is for those central government employees who come under the National Pension System (NPS). The Government of India issued a notification of this scheme on January 24, 2025.

Who can join this scheme?

Those central government employees who are in service on April 1, 2025, and come under NPS.

Those employees who join the central government job on or after April 1, 2025.

Those central government employees who were under NPS and have retired on or before March 31, 2025, or have retired on their own will, or have retired under Rule 56 (j), are eligible for UPS.

If an employee passes away before opting for UPS after retirement, his/her legally married wife/husband can join the scheme.

How to apply online?

Application forms for all categories of central government employees eligible for UPS will be available online on Protean CRA's website https://npscra.nsdl.co.in from April 1, 2025. Employees can also fill and submit the form themselves if they wish. Employees who want to avail the benefits of UPS will have to apply within three months from April 1, 2025. New people who join the job will have to tell within 30 days of joining whether they want to take UPS or not. If the government feels so, this time limit can be extended.

Which forms for which category

Different forms have been created for different people to apply for UPS:

If you are currently doing a government job, then you have to fill out Form A2.
If you have recently joined a government job, then you have to fill out Form A1.
If you are a retired government employee, then Form B2 is for you.
If a pensioner has died, then his wife can apply by filling out Form B6.

You can also apply offline. To apply offline, you have to submit the form through the head office of your department or DDO (Drawing and Disbursing Officer). Let us tell you that if an eligible employee does not apply within the stipulated time limit, then he will not get the benefit of UPS and he will remain in NPS as before.

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