Indian Railways Holds 1,799 Seminars on Pension Switch

19 Sep 2025 CW Team

Production units and training institutes actively participated in the campaign, including Research Designs and Standards Organisation (5 seminars), Rail Coach Factory (6), Modern Coach Factory (6), Integral Coach Factory (17), Rail Wheel Factory (20), Banaras Locomotive Works (5), and Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (4). Additionally, specialised training institutes, such as the Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering, conducted seminars to raise staff awareness.

The UPS for eligible Central Government employees was notified by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, via Notification No. F. No. FX-1/3/2024-PR dated 24 January 2025. Subsequently, the Department of Financial Services issued Office Memorandum No. 1/3/2024-PR on 25 August 2025, introducing a one-time, one-way switch for employees who have opted for UPS to revert to NPS under specified conditions:

Eligible employees can switch from UPS to NPS only once, with no option to return to UPS.
The switch must be made at least one year before superannuation or three months before voluntary retirement, whichever applies.
The facility is not available in cases of removal, dismissal, compulsory retirement as a penalty, or if disciplinary proceedings are ongoing or contemplated.
Employees who do not opt within the stipulated period will continue under UPS by default.
Those remaining in NPS cannot opt for UPS after 30 September 2025.

This initiative aims to provide Central Government employees with informed choices for post-retirement financial planning. Employees opting for UPS retain the option to switch to NPS at a later date.

The last date for eligible employees and past NPS retirees to opt for UPS is 30 September 2025.

Indian Railways has conducted 1,799 seminars nationwide to educate employees on a one-time switch from the National Pension System (NPS) to the Unified Pension System (UPS). Among the zones, Southern Railway led with 768 seminars, followed by South Eastern Railway (135), South Western Railway (99), South East Central Railway (91), North Western Railway (90), Northern Railway (88), and North Central Railway (80). Other zones also contributed, including Northeast Frontier Railway (70), South Central Railway (69), West Central Railway (72), Central Railway (40), Eastern Railway (40), and Western Railway (41). East Coast Railway (27), East Central Railway (9), and North Eastern Railway (16) recorded smaller yet impactful numbers.Production units and training institutes actively participated in the campaign, including Research Designs and Standards Organisation (5 seminars), Rail Coach Factory (6), Modern Coach Factory (6), Integral Coach Factory (17), Rail Wheel Factory (20), Banaras Locomotive Works (5), and Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (4). Additionally, specialised training institutes, such as the Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering, conducted seminars to raise staff awareness.The UPS for eligible Central Government employees was notified by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, via Notification No. F. No. FX-1/3/2024-PR dated 24 January 2025. Subsequently, the Department of Financial Services issued Office Memorandum No. 1/3/2024-PR on 25 August 2025, introducing a one-time, one-way switch for employees who have opted for UPS to revert to NPS under specified conditions:Eligible employees can switch from UPS to NPS only once, with no option to return to UPS.The switch must be made at least one year before superannuation or three months before voluntary retirement, whichever applies.The facility is not available in cases of removal, dismissal, compulsory retirement as a penalty, or if disciplinary proceedings are ongoing or contemplated.Employees who do not opt within the stipulated period will continue under UPS by default.Those remaining in NPS cannot opt for UPS after 30 September 2025.This initiative aims to provide Central Government employees with informed choices for post-retirement financial planning. Employees opting for UPS retain the option to switch to NPS at a later date.The last date for eligible employees and past NPS retirees to opt for UPS is 30 September 2025.

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