The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has launched a special enrollment campaign for eligible employees who were left out of EPF coverage in the past.
Under this campaign, employees who should have been covered by EPF between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2026, may get an opportunity to be enrolled and receive applicable social security benefits.
The special enrollment window will remain open until October 31, 2026.
Who Can Get the Benefit?
The campaign is mainly aimed at eligible employees who were working during the specified period but were not properly enrolled under EPF.
To qualify, the employee must currently be alive, and the employer must confirm the employee’s employment with the organisation as required under the campaign.
Employees who believe they were wrongly excluded from EPF coverage should contact their employer or HR department and get their employment records checked.
However, this campaign is not meant for retired employees. It is also not simply a facility for withdrawing or claiming an old PF balance. Its purpose is to regularise eligible employees who were left outside EPF coverage.
What Benefits Can Employees Get?
Eligible employees brought under EPFO coverage may become entitled to applicable benefits such as provident fund and pension, along with other social security benefits available under EPFO rules.
Employers will also have to follow the required compliance process to bring eligible workers under the scheme.
How Will Registration Be Done?
Employers will play an important role in the enrollment process. They will have to identify eligible employees by checking their records and conducting an internal review.
For employees who need to be enrolled, employers must generate a face-authentication-based Universal Account Number (UAN) through the UMANG platform.
After completing the registration process, the required details will have to be submitted through EPFO’s electronic challan-cum-return system.
What Should Employees Do Now?
Employees who think they were eligible for EPF but were not enrolled should first contact their HR department or employer.
They should check their employment records for the period between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2026 and confirm whether they were required to be covered under EPF rules.
Since the special enrollment campaign is available only until October 31, 2026, eligible employees and employers should complete the required process before the deadline.
