Government employees are in trouble! After 2004, recruitment officers will also get the benefit of old pension, government issued new gazette

Have you also joined government service after 2004 and are worried about the closure of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS)? If yes, then the new order of the Central Government is no less than a big good news for you. Taking a big step, the government has opened the way for old pension in the new pension scheme (NPS). According to the latest Gazette notification issued on 22 April 2026, now in special circumstances, officers and their families will get the option of old pension (1958 rules). For this, ‘Form-1’ has been issued, by filling which you can secure your future.

How will the old pension be ‘returned home’ in the era of NPS?

The government’s new ‘Pension Rules 2026’ have allayed fears that the doors of OPS are completely closed for people appointed after 2004. Under Rule 10, employees are being given the freedom to choose at the time of joining whether they want to go with NPS or old pension. However, this option will be effective only in situations like death during service, physical illness or mental incapacity (invalidation). This step of the government will become a safety net for those IAS, IPS and IFS officers who often serve the country in difficult and risky circumstances.

Form-1 is most important: What if you miss it?

To avail the benefit of this new system, it is mandatory to fill ‘Form-1’. In this, the employee will have to clarify whether in case of any untoward incident he wants ‘old family pension’ under the rules of 1958 or the corpus accumulated in NPS. The biggest relief is that if an officer forgets to opt for the option and dies within the first 15 years of service, the government will give him the old pension benefit by default. NPS will be effective only after 15 years of service.

The new mathematics of retirement and pension: What will change?

It is very important to understand that only NPS rules will be applicable on normal superannuation. This ‘special option’ of old pension is only for accidents occurring during service. In Old Pension (OPS), 50% of the last salary is given as pension and there is also the benefit of increase in Dearness Allowance (DA), which is considered much safer than market-based NPS. The aim of the government is to give mental peace to the officers working under difficult service conditions that their families will not be financially insecure in their absence.

There is also freedom to change options

Another special feature of the new rules is that any officer can modify or update his option (Form 1) any number of times before his retirement date. However, in case of dismissal from service, the benefit of old pension will not be available. In such cases, the employee will be given lump sum money and annuity benefits as per NPS rules.