Coverage of Central Government servants who were recruited against posts/vacancies advertised/notified for recruitment on or before 22.12.2003 in lieu of the National Pension System under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules. Those who will get benefit now.
Pensioners Pension: There is big news for lakhs of pensioners. Now they will get the benefit of pension under CCS. For this order has been issued by DOPPW. The terms and conditions have been fixed under the order issued. They are to be given the benefit of CCS pension rule instead of NPS to the employees under the terms and conditions. Under the issued order, now the employees will have a chance to return to the old pension scheme once again. Government employees can exercise this option till 31 October 2023. The National Movement for Old Pension Scheme, an organization of more than 14 lakh central and state government employees, has welcomed the government’s decision.
Benefits of Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules
The Department vide order issued has directed that with effect from the introduction of National Pension System (NPS) vide Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) Notification No. 5/7/2003-ECB&PR dated 22.12.2003 all Government servants or Posts of Central Government Service (except Armed Forces) after 01.01.2004 are mandatorily covered under the above scheme. The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 and other related rules were also amended vide notification dated 30.12.2003 and after the said amendment, those rules will not apply to government servants appointed in government service after 31.12.2003.
Covered under NPS on joining service on or after 01.01.2004
Thereafter, in the light of various representations/references and judgments of Hon’ble Courts, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare in consultation with Department of Personnel and Training, Department of Expenditure and Department of Legal Affairs issued instructions vide Office Memorandum. No. 57/04/2019-P&PW(B) dated 17.02.2020 giving one time option to the Central Government employees, who are eligible for recruitment in results declared on or before 31.12.2003 against vacancies created before 01.01.2004 were declared successful. Employees covered under the National Pension System on joining service on or after 01.01.2004 shall be covered under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021). The time table for various activities was fixed under the said office memorandum dated 17.02.2020.
Representations received
Government servants appointed on or after 01.01.2004 have been in this Department on the ground that they have been requested to extend the benefits of the Pension Scheme under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021). Such benefit is allowed to the applicants citing judgments of various Hon’ble High Courts and Hon’ble Central Administrative Tribunals against posts/vacancies advertised/notified for recruitment before notification for National Pension System.
Will get benefit till 31st August
The matter has been examined in consultation with Department of Financial Services, Department of Personnel and Training, Department of Expenditure and Department of Legal Affairs in the light of various representations/references and judgments of Courts in this regard. It has now been decided that in all cases where a Central Government civil servant has been appointed against a post or vacancy. which was advertised/notified for recruitment/appointment which is prior to the date of notification for National Pension System i.e. 22.12.2003.
Whereas those covered under National Pension System on joining service on or after 01.01.2004 may be given one time option to be covered under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021). This option can be exercised by the concerned Government servants till 31.08.2023.
It has also been said that those government employees who are eligible to exercise the option as per above para, but who do not exercise this option by the due date, will continue to be covered under the National Pension System.
