How to reactivate your frozen NPS account online | Step-by-step guide

Unfreeze NPS Account: The National Pension System (NPS) is a government-sponsored retirement savings scheme in India, designed to provide a steady income after retirement. It is an easily accessible, low-cost, tax-efficient, flexible and portable retirement savings scheme launched by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority in 2004. In this scheme, citizens between 18 to 60 years of age can open their account.

However, due to reasons like non-payment of minimum annual contribution, failure to submit the subscription form, non-compliance with KYC norms, and more - the NPS account may get frozen. To unfreeze the NPS account, it is necessary to identify the reason. Once the reason is known, reactivating your frozen NPS account is a straightforward process that can be done online.

Follow this step-by-step guide to get your account up and running again.

Step 1: Log in to Your NPS Account

1. Visit the Official NPS Website
Go to the official NPS website (https://cra-nsdl.com).

2. Login
Click on the ‘NPS Login’ button. Enter your PRAN (Permanent Retirement Account Number) and password. If you have forgotten your password, use the ‘Forgot Password’ option to reset it.

Step 2: Access the Reactivation Option

1. Navigate to the Reactivation Section
Once logged in, go to the ‘Contribution’ tab.

2. Reactivate Account
Under the ‘Contribution’ tab, you will find an option to reactivate your account. Click on it.

Step 3: Make the Minimum Contribution

1. Check the Minimum Contribution Requirement
Ensure you know the minimum annual contribution amount required to reactivate your account. As of now, it is Rs 1,000 per financial year.

2. Contribute the Required Amount
Enter the amount you need to contribute and proceed to payment. You can make the payment via net banking, debit card, or credit card.

Step 4: Confirm the Payment

1. Verify the Details
Before making the payment, verify all the details, including the amount and payment method.

2. Complete the Payment
Proceed to complete the payment. An OTP-based authentication and “Captcha” allow you to submit. 
Once the transaction is successful, a confirmation message will be displayed.

Step 5: Acknowledge the Reactivation

1. Confirmation Receipt
After successful payment, you will receive a transaction acknowledgment receipt. Download and save this for future reference.

2. Account Reactivation
Your NPS account will be reactivated within a few hours to a couple of days. You will receive a confirmation email and SMS once your account is active again.

Tips for Maintaining Your NPS Account

- Regular Contributions: To avoid your account from freezing again, ensure you make regular contributions and meet the annual minimum requirement.

- Update Contact Information: Keep your contact information updated to receive timely notifications about your account status.