PFRDA launches UPS Jeewan Setu Digital Life Certificate facility: How pensioners can submit form on Protean eGov App
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced the ‘UPS Jeewan Setu – Digital Life Certificate (DLC)’ facility for pensioners covered under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
According to the PFRDA circular released on Friday, 30 October 2026, “the UPS Jeevan Setu - Digital Life Certificate (DLC), a mobile application-based facility, has been enabled for pensioners under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to conveniently generate and submit their Digital Life Certificates through Aadhaar-based authentication.”
“The facility is available through NPS by Protean eGov mobile application,” it added. Here are the key details you need to know about this new facility.
A Digital Life Certificate (DLC) is an electronically generated certificate used to establish that a pensioner is alive and eligible to continue receiving pension payments. Under the new UPS Jeewan Setu facility, pensioners can complete this process using their Aadhaar details and face authentication through the NPS by Protean eGov App.
Explaining the objective of the initiative, PFRDA stated in its circular, “The facility has been introduced with the objective of simplifying the submission of Life Certificates, enhancing accessibility and facilitating timely compliance by eligible UPS pensioners.”
The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), effective April 1, 2025, is a pension scheme under the National Pension System (NPS) for eligible Central Government employees.
It provides an assured pension of 50% of the average basic pay drawn during the last 12 months immediately prior to superannuation, subject to at least 25 years of qualifying service. Employees with 10–25 years of service receive a proportionate payout, with a minimum assured pension of ₹10,000 per month after 10 years of qualifying service.
Unlike a one-time compliance requirement, the Life Certificate submission is an annual exercise. The new digital facility is expected to make this process more accessible and convenient for UPS pensioners.
According to the procedure outlined in the circular, pensioners can generate their DLC through the mobile application by following these steps:
- Open the NPS, UPS and APY mobile application.
- Select “UPS Jeewan Setu – Digital Life Certificate” from the home screen.
- Enter the Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) and date of birth (DOB). Enter the OTP received on the registered mobile number.
- Select “Aadhaar” and enter the Aadhaar number.
- Click on “Continue with Aadhaar” and complete the authentication process.
- Select the “Face Authentication” option.
- After successful authentication, the system will generate the “Life Certificate”.
- A confirmation message indicating that the “Life Certificate has been generated successfully” will be displayed.
- Click “Done” to complete the process and exit the application.
- The “Life Certificate” will be validated through Aadhaar.
PFRDA has specifically stated that UPS pensioners are required to submit their Digital Life Certificates every year by 30 November.
The circular states, “All pensioners under the UPS are required to submit their DLCs annually by 30 November to ensure uninterrupted continuation of their monthly assured payouts.”
Timely submission is important because the Life Certificate serves as proof of continued eligibility for pension payouts.
Sheetal Goel is a Content Producer at Livemint, where she covers corporate developments, personal finance, business trends, markets, and SEBI-related updates. She focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them in a clear, reader-friendly manner, thereby helping audiences better understand investment trends, personal finance, and market developments. Her writing focuses on making finance more accessible to everyday readers while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and relevance. <br><br> She holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) along with an MBA in Finance, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in financial analysis, market understanding, and business reporting. Before joining journalism, she worked with finance and broking firms, where she closely followed market developments, investment strategies, and evolving industry trends. This practical exposure strengthened her understanding of financial markets. She has also written content across multiple formats and platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. <br><br> Over time, she has developed expertise in covering market-linked stories, investor-focused topics, and regulatory updates in a simplified yet informative style. She also enjoys reading and listening to Hindi poetry, reflecting her appreciation for literature and creative expression beyond the world of markets and numbers.
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