The Government of India has announced that all central government employees enrolled under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) will now receive retirement and death gratuity benefits similar to those provided under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The policy update, revealed by Union Minister Jitendra Singh on June 19, 2025, aims to bridge the gap between UPS and OPS, ensuring equal social security coverage for employees under the National Pension System (NPS).
In a major step towards enhancing social security for government personnel, the Government of India, headquartered in New Delhi, has declared that all central government employees covered under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) will now be eligible for retirement and death gratuity benefits. This policy update, announced on June 19, 2025, by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, brings parity between the Unified Pension Scheme and the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
The Unified Pension Scheme, a modified version of the National Pension System (NPS), was introduced to modernize employee pensions by shifting to a market-linked structure. However, it had long been criticized for lacking several defined benefits offered by the Old Pension Scheme, particularly in the areas of gratuity and post-retirement support.
According to the announcement, this change ensures that central government employees under UPS will now receive the same retirement and death gratuity benefits as those under OPS, addressing a long-standing demand by public servants for equal treatment and security.
“This is a historic and socially conscious decision, providing much-needed relief and parity to government employees who have been demanding fair post-retirement treatment,” Minister Singh stated during the official announcement.
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, led by Jitendra Singh, has been instrumental in implementing several reforms aimed at streamlining the benefits available under various pension schemes and improving the overall welfare of government employees.
The decision has been widely welcomed by employee unions and is seen as a step toward balancing the old and new pension structures to avoid disparities among different groups of civil servants.
This move further aligns India’s public pension policies with global standards of inclusive and equitable retirement planning, offering central government workers under the National Pension System greater financial assurance in their post-service years.
