Big update on Unified Pension Scheme, government extended the deadline to opt for it, why was the decision taken?
The government has extended the deadline to choose between the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and the National Pension System (NPS). Now this deadline is till 30 September 2025. Earlier it was 30 June 2025. The government has taken this decision to give more time to the central employees. Employees can now easily decide whether they want to go to UPS or stay in NPS. This was told by the Finance Ministry on Monday.
This information came to light at a time when earlier some media reports had said that the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) received a lukewarm response from eligible central government employees during the initial application period. By mid-April 2025, out of about 27 lakh employees enrolled in NPS, only 1,500 central government employees had opted for UPS, which is less than 0.05%.
Now more time to take a decision
An official statement was issued by the Finance Ministry on Monday. It said, ‘Requests were received from stakeholders to extend the deadline. Therefore, the government has decided to extend the deadline to opt for UPS by three months. Now eligible employees, retired people and legally married spouses of deceased retirees can opt till 30 September 2025.’ This means that now all of them have more time to take a decision.
The scheme was launched on 1 April
UPS is a pension scheme. It was started on 1 April 2025. In this scheme, pensioners get a fixed amount. There is also a provision to get a lump sum amount on retirement. This scheme is good for those who want to be sure about their pension.
The government took this decision so that all employees get a chance to take a well-thought-out decision. Many employees do not know properly about UPS and NPS. Therefore, they need more time so that they can gain information about both the schemes.
Now employees have time to understand the advantages and disadvantages of both the schemes. They can choose the right scheme according to their needs. The government wants that no employee takes a wrong decision in haste. Therefore, the deadline has been extended.
