EPFO issues guidelines on high pension — Who is eligible and how to apply?

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recently issued a clarification in regard to eligibility criteria for higher pension. The Provident Fund (PF) regulator issued circular in compliance to the Supreme Court order laying down the the eligibility conditions for employees to get higher pension and how they can apply for it online. The EPFO also mentioned that fund authorities shall implement the Supreme Court ruling within a period of eight weeks.

According to EPFO, these subscribers are eligible to receive higher pension:

Members, who, as employees, contributed on salary exceeding the-then wage ceiling of Rs 5,000 or Rs 6,000.

Members who exercised the joint option under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) of the pre-amendment scheme, while being members of EPS-95.

Those whose exercise of such an option was rejected by EPFO.

The eligible pensioners are required to visit their concerned regional EPFO office along with a duly-filled-in application form and specified documents to apply for a higher pension. The process of applying for a higher pension at the regional EPFO office is as follows: