The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) under the National Pension System (NPS) provides a structured framework for Central Government employees, detailing enrolment, contributions, investment, and benefits. It includes provisions for lumpsum payments, monthly payouts, family payouts, and dearness relief, effective from April 1, 2025.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) introduced the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) in a gazette notification, effective April 1, 2025. This scheme will be available as an option for central government employees currently enrolled in the National Pension Scheme (NPS), streamlining pension benefits and management.
Chapter 1: Preliminary establishes the title, commencement, objectives, and framework for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) regulations, effective April 1, 2025.
Chapter 2: Applicability specifies who can opt for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS):
- Existing Employees: Central Government employees in service as of April 1, 2025, covered under NPS.
- New Recruits: Central Government employees joining on or after April 1, 2025.
- Retired Employees: Those who retired or voluntarily retired before April 1, 2025, and their legally wedded spouses if the employee has passed away.
Chapter 3: Enrolment outlines the process for eligible employees to opt into the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and submit necessary forms. The option must be exercised within specified timelines and is final and irrevocable.
Chapter 4: Contributions outlines the monthly contributions by employees and the government, including deduction, remittance, and matching contributions.
Chapter 5: Investment of Contributions outlines the objectives and guidelines for investing contributions to optimize returns while ensuring safety.
Chapter 6: Benefits outlines eligibility for UPS benefits, including superannuation, voluntary retirement, and retirement under specific rules, detailing lumpsum payments, monthly payouts, family payouts, and dearness relief.
Chapter 7: Partial Withdrawal allows UPS subscribers to withdraw up to 25% of their contributions after a 3-year lock-in period.
Chapter 8: Payment of Benefits outlines the process for claiming and receiving UPS benefits, including submission of forms, verification, authorization, and transfer of funds to the pool corpus.
Chapter 9: Role of Intermediaries and Other Entities outlines the responsibilities of intermediaries like NPS Trust, Pension Fund, CRA, Trustee Bank, and Custodian in implementing and managing the UPS.
Chapter 10: Fees and Charges specifies the mode, manner, and limits for fees and charges by intermediaries, approved by the Authority. CRA recovers charges from the Pool Corpus within approved limits.
Chapter 11: Action in Case of Default by Intermediaries outlines the procedures and penalties for intermediaries violating regulations, including suspension, cancellation of registration, and reporting to the Central Government.
Chapter 12: Inspection and Audit outlines the procedures for inspecting and auditing intermediaries and entities involved in the UPS, ensuring compliance and orderly conduct of the scheme.
Chapter 13: Miscellaneous covers additional provisions, including grievance redressal, confidentiality, conflict of interest, compliance, corporate governance, and the authority’s power to issue clarifications for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
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| Chapter No. Unified Pension Scheme 2025 | Chapter Name Unified Pension Scheme 2025 |
| 1 | PRELIMINARY |
| 2 | APPLICABILITY |
| 3 | ENROLMENT |
| 4 | CONTRIBUTIONS |
| 5 | INVESTMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS |
| 6 | BENEFITS |
| 7 | PARTIAL WITHDRAWAL |
| 8 | PAYMENT OF BENEFITS |
| 9 | ROLE OF INTERMEDIARIES AND OTHER ENTITIES |
| 10 | FEES AND CHARGES |
| 11 | ACTION IN CASE OF DEFAULT BY INTERMEDIARIES |
| 12 | INSPECTION AND AUDIT |
| 13 | MISCELLANEOUS |
Schedule I
[See Regulation 4, 19, 20 and 23]
Summary of Forms contained in Schedule I
| Sl | Particulars | Form |
| 1 | Exercise of Option to be covered under Unified Person Scheme (UPS) and to avail its Benefits (new recruits on or after 1st April 2025) | A1 |
| 2 | Exercise of Option by an eligible Central Government employee presently subscribed to National Pension System (NPS) for being covered under Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) | A2 |
| Claim by Subscriber | ||
| 3 | Claim and Payout Form: Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) subscriber who superannuated or retired on or after 1st April 2025 | B1 |
| 4 | Claim and Payout Form: Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) subscriber whosuperannuated or retired on or before 1st April 2025 | B2 |
| Claim by Spouse (Death Cases) | ||
| 5 | Claim and Payout Form: Spouse of the deceased Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) subscriber who superannuated or retired on or after 1st April 2025 and eligible for UPS benefits and subscriber had already availed benefits under UPS | B3 |
| 6 | Claim and Payout Form: Spouse of the deceased Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) subscriber who superannuated or retired on or before 31st March 2025 and eligible for UPS benefits and subscriber had already availed benefits under UPS | B4 |
| 7 | Claim and Payout Form: Spouse of the deceased Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) subscriber who superannuated or retired on or after 1st April 2025and eligible for UPS benefits and subscriber had not availed benefits under UPS | B5 |
| 8 | Claim and Payout Form: Spouse of the deceased Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) subscriber who superannuated or retired on or before 31st March 2025 and eligible for UPS benefits and subscriber had not availed benefits under UPS | B6 |
Download from Below
Unified Pension Scheme Form A1 PDF
Unified Pension Scheme Form A2 PDF
Unified Pension Scheme Form B1 to B6
1. What forms do I need to fill out if I want to exercise my option for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)?
- Form A1: This form is for new recruits on or after 1st April 2025 who want to be covered under UPS and avail of its benefits.
- Form A2: This form is for current Central Government employees already subscribed to NPS who wish to be covered under UPS.
2. How do I make a claim if I have retired or superannuated?
- For retirees on or after 1st April 2025:
- Form B1 should be filled out by a subscriber who has superannuated or retired on or after 1st April 2025 and is claiming UPS benefits.
- For retirees on or before 31st March 2025:
- Form B2 should be filled out by a subscriber who retired on or before 31st March 2025 and is claiming UPS benefits.
3. What if I need to make a claim as the spouse of a deceased UPS subscriber?
The claim process for spouses depends on the date of retirement or superannuation of the subscriber and whether the subscriber had availed UPS benefits:
- Spouse of a deceased subscriber who retired on or after 1st April 2025 and availed UPS benefits:
- Form B3 should be filled out.
- Spouse of a deceased subscriber who retired on or after 1st April 2025 and did not avail UPS benefits:
- Form B5 should be filled out.
- Spouse of a deceased subscriber who retired on or before 31st March 2025 and availed UPS benefits:
- Form B4 should be filled out.
- Spouse of a deceased subscriber who retired on or before 31st March 2025 and did not avail UPS benefits:
- Form B6 should be filled out.