How to fill EPF Joint Declaration for Higher Pension Online?

Step 3 (This step has changed after 4^th March 2023)

You now get 2 different links as shared in Step 2.

You will get 2 Options (1 option) on the page.

Option 1 – Joint options under erstwhile Para 11(3) and Para 11(4) of EPS, 95.
This option is applicable for employees who retired before 1^st Sep 2014 as per the eligibility criteria specified in EPFO circular.

Option 2 – Joint options under erstwhile para 11 (3) and para 11 (4) of EPS 1995 for employees who were in service prior to 1st September 2014 and continued to the in service on or after 01.09.2014 but could not exercise joint option under erstwhile provision to para 11 (3) of EPS 1995 to be exercised on or before 3rd May 2023.

This option is applicable for employees who either retired after 1^st Sep 2014 or are still in service and fulfil a specified criteria laid down by EPFO. You need to click on second option as highlighted in screenshot below (though both links are currently taking to the same page).

Step 4

If you have retired before 1-Sep-2014, then after clicking on the first link, you will get this option.

“Validation of joint options for the employees who had retired before 01.09.2014 and exercised joint option under para 11(3) of EPS Scheme prior to 01.09.2014” (This option was previously deleted from EPFO website after 4th March 2023 but has been restored from 14th March 2023 onwards)

For other cases, following is the option you will be getting.

“Exercise of joint option for the Employees who were in service prior to 01.09.2014 and continued to be in service on or after 01.09.2014 but could not exercise joint option under erstwhile proviso to para 11(3) of EPS-1995“

Step 5

You will get a form like below and you will need to enter the following details:

• PPO (for Retirees) or UAN (How to get your UAN number?)
• Name
• Date of Birth
• Aadhar
• Aadhar Linked Mobile Number
• Captcha
• Tick Box for consent

This is the consent you will be giving “I hereby give my consent for OTP based Aadhar authentication for establishing my identity for the purpose of exercising joint option under para 11 (3) and 11 (4) of EPS, scheme.”

So, before you submit this form there are few things you need to be ready with –

• You should have your UAN number handy
• You should link your UAN with Aadhar Card
• You should have your mobile number linked with Aadhar

Select the checkbox for consent and click “Get OTP”

Step 7

Read the form carefully as it has 7 difference sections:

Section 1 – Info about Pension On Higher Wages Application Form

This Section is only for information about who can exercise the joint option and is eligible to fill this form.

Section 2 – Disclaimer

It is a disclaimer asking your confirmation of having read and understood the Supreme Court judgement.

“I have gone through Supreme Court Judgement dated 04.11.2022 in SLP (C) No.8658-8659 of 2019 and I am registering this joint option in terms of directions contained in the said judgement. I undertake that the pension will be calculated subject to formula determined under the Scheme for this purpose.”

Section 3 – UAN Details

This is the section with your UAN related details. Kindly review and ensure the correctness of all the data. Don’t have your UAN – Check this post.

Section 4 – Service Details

This is the section where you need to confirm your Service Details. If any of the service is missing, click on the Add Row option to add the same. (Please note you will have to give proofs for some of these later).

Section 5 – Member Details

Section 6 – Joint Option and Contribution Details

There are 4 questions to be answered in this section. On selecting “Yes” for any of the question, you will have additional option open asking for documentary proof substantiating your statement.

• Whether employer’s contribution was received on wages exceeding statutory wage ceiling of ₹5000 in EPF prior to 01.06.2001 from the day his salary exceeded ₹5000? (applicable only if date of joining is prior to 01.06.2001) (Mandatory)
  • If Yes, Please attach permission under para 26(6) of EPF Scheme. (Note:- this is no longer mandatory effective 13th April 2023)
• Whether Employer’s contribution was received on wages exceeding statutory wage ceiling of ₹6500 in EPF prior to 01.09.2014 from the day his salary exceeded ₹6500? (applicable only if date of exit is on or after 01.06.2001) (Mandatory)
  • If Yes, Please attach permission under para 26(6) of EPF Scheme. (Note:- this is no longer mandatory effective 13th April 2023)
• Whether member wants to use accumulation available in his / her PF account for payment of due contribution for this option?(Mandatory)
  • If Yes, attach proof for “How much is the PF account balance on the date of filing option?” (Mandatory)
  • If you are unable to Download the passbook from EPFO website, you can follow the Steps shown here.
• Whether member is giving undertaking to deposit the contributions along with interest due till date of payment through his last employer [only when PF account has no/ insufficient balance]? (Mandatory)
  • If Yes, Please upload relevant documentary proof (Mandatory)  

Since there is further clarity yet to come on these points, kindly ensure you have Subscribed to my YouTube channel and clicked bell Icon to get notified as soon as the details come out. Meanwhile, you can learn from here about whether you should Switch to higher pension or not.

Section 7 – Declaration

You are expected to read the below and accept these. Don’t miss out on the 3rd Declaration noted below which is underlined as well.

• I hereby declare that I have read and understood the Judgement in SLP (C) No.8658- 8659 of 2019 dated 04-11-2022 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and I am exercising this joint option in terms of the directions contained in the said judgement.
• I understand and agree that as a member of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, my rights to claim pension are limited to the scope of judgement and within the EPF & MP Act, 1952 and the Schemes framed thereunder.
• I further understand that the Central Government is empowered to amend the scheme as it may deem fit.
• I do hereby agree that the details of contribution and interest given by my employers are essential for the computation of dues payable for this application, and this is the full and final submission.
• I hereby undertake that the service details in the above form are correct and no material fact has been misrepresented or hidden by me.
• I hereby agree to pay due contribution in a single tranche as specified by EPFO, along with interest at rates declared under Para 60 of EPF Scheme 1952 or at the rate declared by the concerned trust of such establishment, from time to time, whichever is higher, if any.
• I hereby jointly opt along with my employer to pay full amount of contribution on salary exceeding wage ceiling under erstwhile para 11(3) (since deleted) and Para 11(4) of EPS 95 along with interest up to the last date of the month in which payment is made, in accordance with the judgement dated 04.11.2022 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court through my last employer within such period as may be directed by EPFO after verification of my joint option. If the full amount payable is not deposited by my last employer within such period as may be directed by EPFO after verification of my joint option, this joint option shall be liable to be treated as Null and Void.
• I undertake that all the facts are true. If the details submitted by me or my employer are found to be incorrect at any point of time, this joint option shall be treated as Null and Void.
• I am aware that in case of false declaration and wilful mis-representation, appropriate penal action may be taken by EPFO against me.

If you are some one who can already taken out the money and invested in a fixed deposit, you can read here on whether you should pre-close your old fixed deposit to get higher returns?

Step 8

So, if you have done at least a rough calculation of what amount will you have to forego and what will be the benefit you will be getting, and are convinced that this is indeed the right option for you AND if you are comfortable with all of the above sections in Step 7 especially point 3, then add details like your Place, Tick box against I agree and Submit Captcha to generate your Acknowledgment Number.

Step 9

Your employer will now have to do online validation and also do acceptance of your Joint Option via their details. The respective employer will provide guidelines on updates of the way forward.

Step 10

Pray to God that you get what you thought you will get. (And Like, Share and Subscribe this Post as well as my YouTube Channel).

What will happen next has been described in this post on what actions will EPFO take after successful submission of joint application form.

Step 11 (Update – 30 April’23)

If you made any error while submitting the form, you can now delete your old application and submit a new one.

YouTube Video

I have created a detailed video explaining the entire process which you can watch from the link below.