Thu Mar 20 17:53:39 UTC 2025: ## Government Launches Unified Pension Scheme for Central Employees

**New Delhi, March 21, 2025** – The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announced the launch of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) effective April 1, 2025. This scheme offers central government employees a guaranteed pension of 50% of their average basic pay over the final 12 months of service, provided they meet a minimum 25-year service requirement.

The UPS, approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024, provides an alternative to the existing National Pension System (NPS). Approximately 2.3 million central government employees will have the option to choose between the UPS and the market-linked NPS. Enrollment forms will be available online and physically from April 1st via the Protean CRA website (https://npscra.nsdl.co.in).

The UPS is contributory, with employees contributing 10% of their basic salary and dearness allowance, and the government contributing 18.5%. Unlike the NPS, whose payout is dependent on market performance, the UPS guarantees a fixed pension. However, the guaranteed payout will not be available for employees who resign or are dismissed. The UPS mirrors the old pension scheme (OPS) in effect before 2004, which also provided a 50% pension based on the final basic pay.

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