The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has activated the URL of the unified member's portal, through which subscribers seeking higher pension can apply. The subscribers can log in to the website here.
Last date extended
The last date to apply for higher pension is May 3, 2023. The EPFO website said, “ Joint options under erstwhile para 11 (3) and para 11 (4) of EPS 1995 for employees who were in service prior to 1st September 2014 and continued to the in service on or after 01.09.2014 but could not exercise joint option under erstwhile provision to para 11 (3) of EPS 1995 to be exercised on or before 3rd May 2023.”
The retirement body had brought out a few guidelines recently, which gave an option to take a higher pension. Last year on November 4, the Supreme Court asked EPFO to give four months to all eligible members to seek higher pension. The four month deadline was supposed to end on March 3, but it is now extended by two months.
Eligible employees
The eligible employees who can apply for higher pension are those who retired after September 1, 2014 and existing employees. They can claim the pension based on actual salary beyond the prescribed ceiling in the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) of 1995.
The employees and employers who had contributed on salary exceeding the prevalent wage ceiling of Rs 5,000 or 6,500, and subscribers who did not exercise joint option under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) of the pre-amendment scheme while being members of EPS-95 can also apply.
