The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has issued a new Office Memorandum (OM No. 1/1(51)/2024-P&PW(F)/9852) dated 28 October 2025. The circular provides clear guidelines on how Ministries and Departments should refer cases to DoPPW for advice, clarification or consultation.
Background
DoPPW is the nodal department for pension policy matters concerning Central Government employees. It has issued several rules and guidelines including the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 and related regulations. However, it has been observed that many Ministries, Departments and subordinate offices send cases to DoPPW routinely without examining them thoroughly at their own level.
This practice causes unnecessary delays and increases the workload on DoPPW as it ends up examining cases from the beginning which could have been resolved within the respective Ministry or Department.
Key Points of the New Guidelines
To streamline the process and ensure faster decision making, the DoPPW has now issued the following fresh instructions:
Coverage:
Only cases covered under the rules administered by DoPPW such as the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 should be referred.
Employees belonging to Railways, Defence, PSUs, Banks, Autonomous Bodies and Statutory Bodies are not covered under these rules.
Initial Examination:
The concerned Ministry or Department must first examine the case thoroughly with reference to the relevant rules and form a tentative conclusion before sending it to DoPPW.
Details Required When Referring:
- If clarification is still required, the proposal sent to DoPPW should include:
- A comprehensive background and the Department’s initial findings.
- Specific rule references on which advice is sought.
- Justification if the case is not covered under existing provisions.
- Contact details of the officer concerned.
Modes of Submission:
Proposals should be sent well in advance, preferably through e-file along with all supporting documents. The reference must be routed through the Administrative Ministry/Department with the approval of the Secretary concerned to maintain uniformity in similar cases.
Purpose of the Circular
The aim of this circular is to ensure uniformity, avoid duplication, and speed up decision-making in pension-related matters. By following these steps, Ministries and Departments can reduce dependency on DoPPW for routine clarifications and handle standard cases more efficiently.
Official Reference : OM No. 1/1(51)/2024-P&PW(F)/9852, dated 28 October 2025
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