With only one day remaining before the November 30 deadline, central government employees and pensioners are hurrying to finish two key tasks, opting for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and submitting this year’s Digital Life Certificate (DLC). Both steps are compulsory and failing to complete them on time could interrupt pension payments or impact future eligibility.
Deadline to Opt for UPS Nears
Eligible central government employees, retirees, and legally wedded spouses of deceased employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) as of April 1, 2025, must decide whether they want to shift to the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) by November 30.
Anyone joining government service after April 1, 2025, will need to choose between NPS and UPS within 30 days of joining. However, employees facing dismissal, compulsory retirement as a penalty, or removal from service are not allowed to switch. Those under disciplinary action or inquiry are also not eligible.
How to Apply for UPS
– Application must be submitted using Form A2.
– The form is available on the Protean CRA portal.
– Applicants can fill and upload it online, or
– Submit a physical copy to the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) or the Head of Office along with required supporting documents.
– Retirees with at least 10 years of service and legally wedded spouses of deceased employees can apply using the same process.
Life Certificate Deadline for Pensioners Nears
All central government pensioners must submit their annual Digital Life Certificate (DLC) by November 30 to ensure their pension continues without interruption. Pensioners aged 80 and above were given early access and could submit their certificates from October 1.
The life certificate can be submitted in several convenient ways:
– At bank branches or through doorstep banking services
– Digitally using the Jeevan Pramaan app
– Via India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) doorstep service with Aadhaar-based biometric verification
– At Common Service Centres (CSCs), banks, government offices, or through the Jeevan Pramaan app on a PC, mobile or tablet
If not submitted on time, pension payments will be stopped and will resume only after the certificate is received and processed by the Central Pension Processing Centres in the next cycle.
Steps to Submit Your Life Certificate Online
Follow these simple steps to generate a Digital Life Certificate using face authentication:
– Use an Android smartphone with at least a 5 MP front camera and a stable internet connection.
– Keep your Aadhaar number handy, ensuring it is the one registered with your pension disbursing authority (bank, post office, etc.).
-Download the ‘AadhaarFaceRD’ app and the ‘Jeevan Pramaan Face’ app from the Google Play Store.
– Complete operator authentication and scan the face of the operator (the pensioner can act as the operator).
– Enter the pensioner’s details in the app.
– Capture a clear face photo using the front camera and submit the request.
After successful submission, an SMS with a download link for the Jeevan Pramaan certificate will be sent to the registered mobile number.
Facing Issues? Here’s What You Can Do
If pensioners experience delays, technical difficulties, or errors while submitting their life certificate, they can visit their pension-disbursing bank branch for help. If the issue still isn’t resolved, they can escalate it by contacting the banking ombudsman.
If a Digital Life Certificate gets rejected due to incorrect details or biometric mismatch, it can simply be regenerated after correcting the information, with assistance from the Pension Disbursing Agency.
