EPFO, India Post launch free doorstep Digital Life Certificate service for EPS pensioners: How to book slot

EPFO, India Post launch free doorstep Digital Life Certificate service for EPS pensioners (AI image)

• EPFO launches free doorstep Digital Life Certificate service for pensioners
• Postmen will visit homes to help pensioners submit DLCs at no cost
• EPFO aims to clear all long-pending DLC cases by March 2026

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In a move to help elderly and vulnerable pensioners who do not have smartphones or are unable to visit banks or EPFO offices for submitting their Digital Life Certificates or Jeevan Praman, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has rolled out a free doorstep Digital Life Certificate service in partnership with India Post Payments Bank (IPPB). Under this initiative, postmen and dak sevaks will visit pensioners’ homes and complete the DLC process — at no cost to the pensioner.

What is Jeevan Pramaan/ DLC

Jeevan Pramaan is a biometric-enabled, Aadhaar-based digital service that allows pensioners to prove their “aliveness” without physically visiting their pension office. It is meant for pensioners of the Central and State Governments, as well as other government organizations whose Pension Sanctioning Authority (PSA) is onboarded on the Jeevan Pramaan platform.

How the free service works

Under the new arrangement, IPPB staff will visit pensioners whose Digital Life Certificate is due or about to become due. The DLC will be registered at the pensioner’s residence itself, and the pensioner will not have to pay anything for the service.

The cost of the service will be borne centrally by EPFO through its Central Pension Processing and Review Centre (CPPRC). Importantly, IPPB will be paid only for “successful DLCs”, as defined under EPFO’s Standard Operating Procedure.

When is a DLC treated as successful?

As per EPFO’s Standard Operating Procedure (SoP), a DLC is treated as successful only if:

• The DLC is completed through IPPB
• The DLC is already due or will be due within 30 days
• The DLC is approved by EPFO, either automatically or after manual verification of pensioner details

Only after this approval will EPFO release service charges to IPPB.

How pensioners can request a home visit

Pensioners or their family members can request the free doorstep DLC service by calling IPPB’s customer care number 033-22029000. Once the request is registered, a postman or dak sevak will be scheduled to visit the pensioner’s home to complete the process.

What EPFO offices have been instructed to do

EPFO has issued detailed instructions to its offices to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme. Zonal offices have been asked to closely monitor compliance by field offices, review pending DLC cases every month, and track progress regularly. They have also been directed to conduct surprise checks to verify whether death intimation cases are being handled properly and to take prompt action against officials if such cases remain unattended for unreasonable periods.

Role of regional and district offices

Regional and district EPFO offices have been told to actively educate pensioners and their families about self-submission of DLCs using smartphones through Face Authentication Technology on the Jeevan Pramaan or UMANG apps. EPFO has also asked offices to play instructional videos from its YouTube channel at public relation offices and during pension outreach events.

Offices must display banners highlighting the availability of the free doorstep DLC service through IPPB along with the customer care number. If a pensioner expresses difficulty in submitting the DLC or cannot visit a bank or EPFO office, they should be guided to avail the home visit facility.

Clearing long-pending DLC cases a priority

EPFO has directed its offices to compile and share addresses of pensioners whose DLC has been pending for more than two years with IPPB to enable doorstep visits. Special priority has been given to cases where DLCs have been pending for over five years, followed by cases pending between two and five years.

The organisation aims to clear all long-pending DLC cases by March 2026.

Additionally, EPFO has also emphasised the need for quick action when the death of a pensioner is reported. In such cases, pension should be started immediately for the next eligible beneficiary. Where there is no eligible beneficiary, the Pension Payment Order (PPO) must be permanently closed so that it does not continue to show up as a pending DLC case.