Pension Life Certificate Campaign Starts in November

India's Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare is running a digital life certificate campaign from 1 to 30 November 2026, with assistance through participating banks, post offices and other organisations.

The department announced the nationwide campaign on 30 October through the Press Information Bureau. It described a month-long programme involving pension-disbursing banks, India Post Payments Bank, pensioner associations and government agencies. The campaign is intended to help pensioners use digital options, including face authentication.

An annual life certificate helps the relevant pension-disbursing authority establish that a pensioner remains eligible for continuing payments. Requirements and deadlines depend on the pension scheme and disbursing authority, so pensioners should confirm their own position rather than assuming every arrangement follows identical rules.

For SBI pensioners, the bank says people aged 80 and above could submit their certificate from 1 October 2026, while those below 80 can submit from 1 November. SBI says digital submission is an additional option and physical certificates remain accepted. Its digital life certificate guidance also describes branch assistance and the official Jeevan Pramaan service.

A separate 30 October circular for the Unified Pension Scheme describes a mobile-based UPS Jeevan Setu facility and an annual 30 November deadline for UPS pensioners, according to Mint's report. It applies to that scheme and should not be confused with a blanket rule for every pension arrangement.

What to Check

• Ask your pension-disbursing bank or authority which certificate, deadline and submission methods apply to your pension.
• Use Jeevan Pramaan or your bank's official guidance to locate an authorised service or learn about digital submission.
• After submitting, keep the acknowledgement or transaction ID and confirm the disbursing authority has received it.

Sources

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• Life Certificate and Digital Life Certificate, State Bank of India, accessed 1 November 2026.
• Jeevan Pramaan, Government of India, accessed 1 November 2026.
• PFRDA launches UPS Jeewan Setu Digital Life Certificate facility, Mint, 31 October 2026.
• Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare, nationwide digital life certificate campaign announcement, Press Information Bureau, 30 October 2026.

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