So far, so many employees have joined UPS from NPS, the government informed the Parliament
The government informed the Lok Sabha that 1.22 lakh employees have opted for the Unified Pension Scheme as of November 30, 2025. However, there is no proposal to reinstate the old pension scheme for central government employees.
Important information regarding the Central Government's Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) has been revealed in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Ministry stated that as of November 30, 2025, more than 1.22 lakh employees have opted for the Unified Pension Scheme. This includes serving employees, new entrants, and retired employees.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that approximately 4.95% of employees enrolled in the National Pension System (NPS) have opted for the UPS.
The government introduced this scheme as an alternative to the NPS to provide employees with more assured and stable pension benefits after retirement.
The government also clarified that employees have been given the option of a one-time switch to opt for UPS. This option can be exercised within a specified timeframe in circumstances such as retirement, voluntary retirement, death, or removal from service.
Under the Unified Pension Scheme, eligible employees will receive a guaranteed monthly pension based on their average basic pay.
In addition, special provisions have been made for employees who have completed a minimum service period and their families. The scheme provides for a family pension and prescribed benefits for children in eligible cases.
The government states that as awareness about UPS increases, the number of employees joining the scheme may increase further.
Statement also came on OPS
The Finance Ministry has clarified in the Lok Sabha that no proposal to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for central government employees is currently under consideration.
In a written reply, the Finance Ministry stated that OPS will not be implemented for employees covered by the National Pension System (NPS) and the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
The ministry also clarified that although some states have re-implemented OPS on their own, under existing rules and regulations, states are not permitted to return the corpus deposited under NPS to the central government or employees.
This means that state governments can implement OPS, but there is no provision for returning NPS funds. The government also informed that the central government has provided employees with the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) as an alternative to NPS, which includes provisions such as assured pension, minimum pension, and family pension.
Under UPS, pension is determined based on the average pre-retirement salary, and employees receive fixed benefits upon completing a minimum service period.