UPS Jeewan Setu: How Pensioners Can Submit Their Digital Life Certificate

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has enabled the UPS Jeewan Setu Digital Life Certificate facility for pensioners covered under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). It lets them generate and submit their annual life certificate through a mobile app, using Aadhaar authentication.

A life certificate confirms that a pensioner is alive and eligible to continue receiving pension payouts. PFRDA says all UPS pensioners must submit one each year by November 30 to ensure uninterrupted monthly payouts.

The facility is available through the National Pension System (NPS) via the Protean eGov mobile application. It is specifically for UPS pensioners; the circular does not describe it as a facility for all pensioners or all NPS subscribers.

The UPS is an option under the National Pension System for eligible Central Government employees. Its assured payout depends on an employee’s qualifying service and pay before retirement. Those with at least 25 years of qualifying service are eligible for a full assured payout equal to 50 per cent of their average basic pay over the final 12 months before superannuation.

Employees with 10 to 25 years of qualifying service receive a proportionate payout. A minimum payout of Rs 10,000 a month applies after at least 10 years of qualifying service, subject to regular and timely contributions and no withdrawals. The annual life certificate is a separate compliance requirement: it confirms the pensioner’s continued eligibility to receive payouts, while the payout amount is determined by the UPS rules.

What Pensioners Need To Do

Pensioners can begin by opening the NPS, UPS, and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) mobile app and selecting “UPS Jeewan Setu – Digital Life Certificate” on the home screen. They will need their Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN), date of birth, access to the mobile number registered for the account, and Aadhaar details.

After entering the PRAN and date of birth, the pensioner must enter the one-time password sent to the registered mobile number. They then select Aadhaar, enter the Aadhaar number, and choose “Continue with Aadhaar” to complete authentication.

The next step is to select face authentication. If authentication succeeds, the app generates the life certificate and displays a confirmation. The pensioner must tap “Done” to finish and exit. Aadhaar authentication validates the certificate.

Submit It By November 30

The annual deadline applies to UPS pensioners. PFRDA’s October 30 circular says the certificate must be submitted by November 30 to help ensure their monthly assured payouts continue without interruption. The authority has also advised nodal offices to inform eligible pensioners about the facility and the submission timeline.

Pensioners should allow time to complete the authentication process before the deadline, particularly if they need to check which mobile number is registered or resolve an issue with their Aadhaar details. They should also confirm that the app displays the successful generation message before exiting.

FAQs

Who can use the UPS Jeewan Setu Digital Life Certificate facility?
It is for pensioners covered under the Unified Pension Scheme and is available through the NPS by Protean eGov mobile app.

What is the deadline to submit the certificate?
UPS pensioners must submit their Digital Life Certificate annually by November 30 to help ensure uninterrupted monthly payouts.

How can pensioners generate the certificate?
They must enter their PRAN, date of birth, and Aadhaar details in the app, verify the OTP sent to their registered mobile number, and complete face authentication.