Central govt employees alert! Want to move from NPS to old pension? Check eligibility

In a major development, the Modi government through Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has taken out an order through which all Central Government employees whose selection for appointment was finalized before 01.01.2004 but who joined service on or after 01.01.2004, can now opt to be covered under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 instead of the NPS (National Pension System).

Now, after this important order employees of the Government of India who were recruited before 2004 have the option of either switch over to the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 or continue to be covered under the National Pension System.

How to check if you are eligible to move from NPS to old pension system?

A few illustrations where the selection was finalized before 01.01.2004 but actual joining took place on or after 01.01.2004 are as under:-

-The result for recruitment was declared before 01.01.2004 but the offer of appointment and actual joining of the Government servant was delayed on account of police verification, medical examination etc.;

-Some of the candidates selected through a common selection process were issued offers of appointments and were also appointed before 01.01.2004 whereas the offers of appointments to other selected candidates were issued on or after 1.1.2004 due to administrative reasons/constraints including pending Court/CAT cases.

-Candidates selected before 01.01.2004 through a common competitive examination were allocated to different Departments/organization. While recruitment process was completed by some Department(s)/organizations on or before 31.12.2003 in respect of one or more candidates, the offers of appointment to the candidates allocated to the other Departments /Organization were issued on or after 01.01.2004.

-Offers of appointment to selected candidates were made before 01.01.2004 with a direction to join on or after 01.01.2004.

-Offers of appointment were issued to selected candidates before 01.01.2004, and many/most candidates joined service before 01.01.2004. However, some candidate(s) were allowed extension of joining time and they joined service on or after 01.01.2004. However, their seniority was either unaffected or was depressed in the same batch or to a subsequent batch, the result for which subsequent batch was declared before 01.01.2004.

-The result for recruitment was declared before 01.01.2004 but one or more candidates were declared disqualified on the grounds of medical fitness or verification of character and antecedents, caste or income certificates. Subsequently, on review, they were found fit for appointment and were issued offers of appointment on or after 01.01.2004.

This order of the Government of India is expected to give relief to several Central Government employees, some of whom were knocking on the doors of the Courts in order to get covered under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 and will also substantially bring down the litigation on this subject matter, says a statement by the government.