The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has brought about some substantial changes in the use of Aadhaar and UAN activation that concern its members.
Aadhaar Deleted as Proof of Date of Birth
EPFO issued a statement in January 2024 that henceforth Aadhaar was no longer acceptable as proof for verification or updating of the date of birth (DoB) in member records. The EPFO decision follows a communication received from UIDAI, stating that Aadhaar is mainly proof of identity and address and not proof of date of birth. A member who wishes to make changes to his DoB in EPFO records should instead provide any of the following accepted alternate proof:
- Birth certificate recorded with Registrar of Births and Deaths
- Marksheet of a recognized government board or university
- School Leaving Certificate (SLC) or School Transfer Certificate (TC)
- Passport
- PAN card issued by the Income Tax Department
- Central/State Pension Payment Order
- Domicile certificate issued by the Government
Extension for UAN Activation and Aadhaar Seeding
In order to facilitate easy access to EPFO benefits, EPFO has extended the time for UAN activation and Aadhaar linking with the bank account until March 15, 2025. This extension gives the members additional time for completing various formalities without interruption to their benefits.
Streamlining Process for Bank Account Seeding
In a bid to simplify and fast-track provident fund withdrawals, processing, and timely disbursal, EPFO has done away with the requirement for employer approval in the bank account seeding process. Previously this approval would be undertaken after bank verification, which led to delay. Now, as soon as the bank has verified the details of the account, seeding can take place without any further intervention from the employer, therefore resulting in fast transactions for the members.
Rationale for Compliance
EPFO members are encouraged to comply with these new guidelines to ensure uninterrupted access to their provident fund benefits. Activation of the UAN and its linkage with Aadhaar and bank accounts skims processes, provides security, and enhances transactional efficiency.
For further member assistance or guidance, detailed instructions are available on the official EPFO website and regional EPFO offices.
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