Railway Board Introduces One-Time Switch from Unified Pension Scheme to NPS

Railway Board Introduces One-Time Switch from Unified Pension Scheme to NPS

New Delhi: Ministry of Railways has issued an important order that allows railway employees covered under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to exercise a one-time, one-way switch to the National Pension System (NPS).

The directive comes through Railway Board Order RBE No. 91/2025 dated 10 September 2025, following the Ministry of Finance’s Office Memorandum No. 1/3/2024-PR dated 25 August 2025.

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As per the Railway Board notification, this switch option will be available only once and is irreversible. This is in accordance with the Department of Financial Services Gazette Notification dated 24 January 2025, Fundamental Rule 56(j), and the PFRDA (Exit & Withdrawal under NPS) Regulations, 2015.

For railway personnel, the provisions correspond to Railway Board’s earlier communications — letter No. F(E)II/2025/UPS/1 dated 18 March 2025, Rule 1802(a) of Chapter 18, IREC Vol. I (1987 Edition), and letter No. 2016/F(E)IN/1/(1)/3 dated 27 May 2016.

The order has been issued by G. Priya Sudarsani, Director (Finance/Estt.), Railway Board, and circulated to all Zonal Railways, Production Units, RDSO, and NAIR for immediate compliance.