NPS to OPS: These Central Government Employees Can Switch Pension Schemes; Check Eligibility Here

Select Central Government employees who have switched their jobs will have a one-time option to move from the National Pension System (NPS) to Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, also known as the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), according to the Economic Times (ET) report. The DoPPW has released an Office Memorandum in this direction mentioning the eligibility criteria.

In an Office Memorandum (OM) dated March 3, 2023, the DoPPW earlier said, "It has now been decided that, in all cases where the Central Government civil employee has been appointed against a post or vacancy which was advertised/notified for recruitment/appointment, prior to the date of notification for National Pension System i.e. 22.12.2003 and is covered under the National Pension System on joining service on or after 01.01.2004, may be given a one-time option to be covered under the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021)."

Those central govt employees who were appointed for the posts or vacancies advertised or notified for recruitment before the notification for NPS i.e. 22.12.2003 can switch to the old pension by November 30, 2023.

For those Central Government Employees Who Have Changed Jobs

What about those employees who are already covered under the National Pension System (NPS) but changed their jobs after the cut-off date? In the recent OM, the DoPPW stated that those Central Government employees who are included under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 in terms of OM dated 03.03.2023 for their appointment against any post/service in Central Government and moved to another Central Government service via proper channel would be governed under the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972.

However, if any employee of the state government or any autonomous body moved to Central Government service on or after 01.01.2004 after tendering technical resignation from their earlier service would be examined as a case of counting of past service on mobility to Central Government service on or after January 1, 2004.

The DoPPW said, "Those Government servants who are eligible to exercise the option in accordance with... above, but who do not exercise this option by the stipulated date, shall continue to be covered by the National Pension System."

What Did The Govt Say For Central Government Employees Who Have Retired From Service?

Now, whether Central govt employees who have retired from service before the issue of these instructions will be eligible to switch to OPS from NPS? The DoPPW said, "It is, therefore, clarified that there is no restriction on the applicability of aforesaid OM dated 03.03.2023 to Central Government employees who are otherwise eligible for coverage under OPS and who have already retired from service.

Since, in this case, the employee has already availed benefits under NPS, the Government contribution and return thereon under the NPS would require to be refunded along with interest thereon by the Government servant in order to avail the benefit under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, in case, he is found eligible for coverage under old pension scheme in terms of DoPPW OM dated 03.03.2023."