SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 28: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sanctioned a one-time option for eligible government employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
The decision applies to employees who were appointed against posts or vacancies that had been advertised or notified before the introduction of the NPS, but who joined government service after the pension system came into force.
Under the NPS, government employees appointed on or after January 1, 2004 are generally covered by a contributory pension system. The new provision provides an opportunity for employees meeting the specified eligibility conditions to seek coverage under the pension rules applicable before the introduction of NPS.
The option is intended for employees whose recruitment process or vacancies meet the prescribed cut-off conditions. Employees who exercise the option will be brought under the applicable old pension rules, subject to verification of their eligibility and fulfilment of the conditions laid down by the government.
The move follows longstanding representations from government employees who were selected or appointed against vacancies notified before the introduction of NPS but joined service subsequently. Similar provisions have also been examined in the context of court judgments and government instructions concerning employees appointed against pre-NPS vacancies.
The government has clarified that the option is a one-time facility and will have to be exercised within the prescribed procedure and timeframe. Employees who do not exercise the option within the stipulated period will continue to remain covered under the NPS.
The decision is expected to provide relief to eligible employees whose recruitment process began before the implementation of the NPS but whose formal appointments or joining took place after its introduction.
The development comes amid continuing discussions over pension coverage for government employees recruited against vacancies notified before the NPS cut-off date. Recent judicial proceedings have also considered whether the date of notification of a vacancy, rather than the date of joining, should determine eligibility for coverage under the old pension framework.
