🗓️Last Updated: June 2026

Employee Pension Scheme (EPS): Eligibility, Amount & Withdrawal 2026

EPS (Employee Pension Scheme) is the pension component of EPFO membership. When your employer contributes 12% of your basic salary to EPFO, 8.33% of that goes to EPS — not to your PF balance. After 10 years of service, you become entitled to a monthly pension from age 58. This guide explains the pension formula, eligibility conditions, how to check your EPS pension amount, and how to withdraw or claim EPS.

🔗EPFO Member Portal — epfindia.gov.in — Official Portal →

📋 Overview

The Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) was introduced in 1995 under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and is administered by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). EPS provides a monthly pension to employees in the organised sector after retirement, and also covers cases of disability, death, and early exit. When you work at any EPFO-registered establishment, your employer contributes 12% of your basic salary + DA to EPFO. This employer contribution is split: 3.67% goes to your EPF (PF) account, and 8.33% goes to EPS. The government also contributes 1.16% of wages to EPS. The pensionable salary is capped at ₹15,000/month (for members who joined after September 2014). Members who joined before September 2014 may have contributed on actual wages above ₹15,000 under the Higher Pension option (subject to Supreme Court judgment of November 2022). The monthly pension amount is calculated using the formula: Monthly Pension = (Pensionable Salary × Pensionable Service) / 70. A minimum of 10 years of pensionable service is required to be eligible for monthly pension.

✅ Eligibility

  • ✓Must be a member of EPFO — employee at any establishment with 20+ employees (or those that have voluntarily registered).
  • ✓Minimum 10 years of contributory service in EPS to be eligible for monthly pension. Service periods across different employers are added together if EPS membership was continuous (i.e., PF/EPS was transferred on job change).
  • ✓Pension starts at age 58 (superannuation pension). Can be drawn from age 50 at a reduced rate (early pension — reduced by 4% for each year before 58).
  • ✓If you have 10+ years of service but leave employment before age 50, you get a 'Scheme Certificate' to preserve your EPS credit until age 58.
  • ✓In case of death of the member while in service, the family (spouse + up to 2 children) receives Family Pension — no minimum service requirement for death pension.
  • ✓Disability pension is available regardless of service length — in case of total and permanent disability in service.
  • ✓EPS contributions are made only on wages up to ₹15,000/month (basic + DA). Higher earners' EPS is capped at 8.33% of ₹15,000 = ₹1,250/month (for post-September 2014 members).

📁 Documents Required

▸UAN (Universal Account Number) — mandatory for all EPFO transactions.
▸Aadhaar card — must be linked and verified with UAN for online transactions.
▸PAN card — linked with UAN for TDS compliance.
▸Bank account details (account number + IFSC) — linked with UAN for direct pension credit.
▸Service certificate or Form 3A / annual statements from all past employers — for calculating total pensionable service if records are manual.
▸Form 10D — pension claim form (auto-generated on the EPFO portal for online claims).
▸Employer details of all previous establishments — for tracing EPS contributions.
▸For family pension: death certificate of employee, marriage certificate, and children's birth certificates.

💰Fees & Processing Time

Fee
No fees for EPS — it is a mandatory provident fund scheme funded by employer and government contributions. No charge for pension claim processing, scheme certificate, or pension passbook. Grievances can be raised free of charge at epfigms.gov.in.
Processing Time
Online EPS pension claim (Form 10D): processed within 20–30 working days after employer attestation and EPFO verification. Scheme Certificate issuance: 15–20 working days. Pension passbook updates: monthly, visible on the EPFO member portal. Physical claim at EPFO Regional Office: 30–60 working days. Expedited processing available for urgent medical cases via grievance portal.

🖥️ How to Apply Online

  1. 1Log in to the EPFO Unified Member Portal at unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in using your UAN and password.
  2. 2Ensure your Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account are linked and KYC-approved (check under 'Manage' → 'KYC').
  3. 3To check your EPS pension amount: Go to 'Online Services' → 'Member Passbook'. Your passbook shows both EPF and EPS contributions month-by-month.
  4. 4To check estimated pension: Use the EPFO Pension Calculator at epfindia.gov.in → 'Services' → 'Employees' → 'EPS Pension Calculator'. Enter your pensionable salary and service years.
  5. 5To claim pension (at age 58): Go to 'Online Services' → 'Claim (Form-31, 19, 10C & 10D)' → Select 'Pension Withdrawal Benefit' (Form 10D) for monthly pension.
  6. 6Verify your details — bank account, date of birth, date of exit — and submit the claim.
  7. 7Your employer receives a notification to approve the claim. Pension starts being credited to your bank account from the next month after approval.
  8. 8You can also submit Form 10D for a Scheme Certificate if you leave employment before age 50 with 10+ years of service.

🏢 How to Apply Offline

  1. 1Collect Form 10D (pension claim) or Form 10C (withdrawal benefit / scheme certificate) from your nearest EPFO Regional Office or download from epfindia.gov.in.
  2. 2Fill in the form with your UAN, personal details, date of joining, date of exit, and bank account details.
  3. 3Get the form attested by your last employer — employer must fill in Section B with the establishment code, PF account number, and service certificate.
  4. 4Submit the completed form along with Aadhaar copy, PAN copy, cancelled cheque, and bank passbook copy at the EPFO Regional Office jurisdictional to your last employer.
  5. 5For pension after multiple jobs, attach Form 3A (annual return) from each employer or get your service records transferred — EPFO will consolidate the pension service.
  6. 6Track your claim status online at passbook.epfindia.gov.in or call the EPFO helpline at 1800-118-005.

⚠️Common Problems & Solutions

✗EPS service of less than 10 years — cannot claim monthly pension
→If you have less than 10 years of EPS service, you are not eligible for monthly pension. Instead, claim the EPS withdrawal benefit (Form 10C) — you receive a lump sum based on your service years and last drawn salary. Alternatively, if you are between 6 and 9.5 years of service, get a Scheme Certificate to 'freeze' your EPS credit and add it to a future job's EPS tenure, eventually crossing 10 years.
✗EPS service years not matching — gaps due to job changes
→Gaps in EPS service occur when PF was not transferred between jobs. Raise a grievance at epfigms.gov.in with your past and current PF account numbers requesting EPS service consolidation. Provide Form 3A (annual PF statement) from old employer. EPFO will merge the service records after verification.
✗Monthly pension amount seems too low
→EPS pension is calculated on the capped pensionable salary of ₹15,000/month. For members who joined after September 2014, even if your actual salary was ₹1 lakh/month, EPS contributions were capped at 8.33% of ₹15,000. The maximum monthly pension for such members is (15,000 × service years) / 70. For higher pension options, check EPFO's Higher Pension Scheme under the Supreme Court 2022 judgment — a separate window was opened in 2023 for eligible members.
✗Pension not credited to bank account after approval
→Verify that your bank account is KYC-approved on the EPFO portal. Pension is credited directly by the respective EPFO Regional Office each month. If delayed beyond 45 days of approval, raise a grievance at epfigms.gov.in with your claim reference number.
✗Family pension not started after member's death
→The nominee/family member must submit Form 10D (family pension claim) at the EPFO Regional Office with death certificate, marriage certificate, and bank details. The employer (or last known employer) must attest the form. EPFO does not automatically start family pension — it must be claimed. Contact the EPFO Regional Office directly for death cases — they have a dedicated grievance cell.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q.How is the EPS monthly pension calculated?

Monthly Pension = (Pensionable Salary × Pensionable Service) / 70. Pensionable Salary = average monthly wages drawn during the last 60 months of EPS membership (capped at ₹15,000 for post-September 2014 members). Pensionable Service = total years of EPS service (counted in completed years; 6+ months rounded up to next full year). Example: 20 years of service, ₹15,000 pensionable salary → Monthly Pension = (15,000 × 20) / 70 = ₹4,286/month.

Q.Can I get a lump sum instead of monthly pension from EPS?

Only if your EPS service is less than 10 years. Members with less than 10 years of service can claim the EPS withdrawal benefit (Form 10C) — a lump sum based on the number of service years and last drawn wages. If you have 10+ years of service, you cannot take EPS as lump sum — you must receive it as monthly pension starting at age 58 (or earlier at reduced rate from age 50).

Q.What happens to my EPS if I change jobs?

When you change jobs and transfer your PF, your EPS membership also transfers — the pensionable service from your old job is added to the new job. This is critical: always transfer your PF (don't withdraw) when changing jobs, so your EPS service accumulates toward the 10-year threshold. If you withdraw PF without transferring EPS, you lose all EPS credits from the old job.

Q.How do I check my EPS pension amount online?

Log in to the EPFO Unified Member Portal at unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in. Go to 'Online Services' → 'Member Passbook' to see all EPS contributions month-wise. For estimated pension calculation, use the EPS Pension Calculator at epfindia.gov.in. Enter your pensionable salary and total service years to get the projected monthly pension amount.

Q.Is EPS pension taxable?

Yes, EPS pension received monthly is treated as salary income and is fully taxable under 'Income from Salary'. It will be added to your other income and taxed at the applicable slab rate. The pension-paying EPFO Regional Office issues a pension certificate / Form 16 equivalent for tax filing purposes.

Q.What is the minimum and maximum EPS pension in India?

The minimum monthly pension under EPS is ₹1,000/month (revised by the government in 2014). There is no mandated maximum — it depends on the formula. The effective maximum for post-2014 members with 35 years of service on ₹15,000 pensionable salary is ₹7,500/month. For pre-2014 members or those with Higher Pension option (on actual wages), the pension can be higher.

Q.What is the Higher Pension Scheme under EPS and am I eligible?

Members who joined EPFO before September 1, 2014 and contributed on actual wages above ₹15,000 could opt for Higher Pension under the Supreme Court judgment of November 2022. EPFO opened a special application window in 2023. If you are such a member, you (and your employer) had to jointly apply by the deadline. Under the higher pension, the pensionable salary is recalculated on actual wages — resulting in a higher monthly pension but requiring additional contributions to EPS for the past period.

Q.What is Form 10C and Form 10D in EPS?

Form 10C is used to claim the EPS withdrawal benefit (lump sum) when a member leaves service with less than 10 years of EPS service, OR to get a Scheme Certificate to preserve EPS credits for future use. Form 10D is used to claim the monthly EPS pension at age 58 (superannuation), or early pension from age 50, or family pension in case of death. Both forms can now be submitted online through the EPFO Unified Member Portal.

📞Helpline & Support

  • ▸EPFO Toll-Free Helpline: 1800-118-005 (Mon–Sat 9 AM–6 PM)
  • ▸EPFO Member Portal: unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in — claim pension, check passbook
  • ▸EPFO Grievance Portal: epfigms.gov.in — raise EPS-related complaints
  • ▸PF Balance / Passbook: passbook.epfindia.gov.in
  • ▸SMS Balance Check: Send EPFOHO UAN ENG to 7738299899 from Aadhaar-linked mobile
  • ▸Missed Call Service: Call 011-22901406 from registered mobile for PF/EPS details
  • ▸EPFO Regional Offices: Find your nearest office at epfindia.gov.in → 'Contact Us' → 'Regional Offices'
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Disclaimer: NagrikIQ is an informational platform and is not affiliated with any government department. Information provided is for guidance only. Always verify details on the official government portal before taking action.