Pension Scheme: The Government of India’s Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, through the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), New Delhi, has issued an Office Memorandum dated October 19, 2026, regarding the revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the migration of National Pension System (NPS) pensioners to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in cases involving the death or disability of government servants.
The memorandum, issued under reference number No. CPAO/IT&Tech/NPS to OPS/22 Vol-V/2026-27/12612/124, aims to simplify and streamline the process of migrating eligible legacy NPS-AR pension cases to the Old Pension Scheme. The revised procedure has been approved by the Office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) to address difficulties encountered during the migration process and make the transition easier for the concerned pensioners and authorities.
Why Has the Government Revised the SOP?
According to the memorandum, the earlier procedure for migrating NPS pensioners to the Old Pension Scheme in cases of death or disability of government servants was issued through an Office Order of the CGA dated September 17, 2025.
However, certain challenges arose during the implementation of the migration process. To address these difficulties and facilitate smoother processing, the CGA approved a revised Standard Operating Procedure. The updated guidelines are intended to provide a clearer process and establish the responsibilities of the different stakeholders involved in handling these pension cases.
What Does the Revised Procedure Cover?
The revised SOP relates specifically to the migration of eligible legacy NPS-AR pension cases to the Old Pension Scheme in situations involving the death or disability of government servants. It sets out the procedure to be followed by the concerned authorities and defines the responsibilities of the stakeholders involved in the process.
The memorandum states that the revised SOP, along with the prescribed procedures and stakeholder responsibilities, has been enclosed for necessary action and strict compliance. It also makes clear that the revised procedure will supersede the earlier SOP issued through the CGA’s Office Order dated September 17, 2025.
The purpose of the revision is to improve the implementation process, reduce procedural difficulties and ensure that pension-related cases are handled in accordance with the updated instructions. However, the memorandum itself does not announce a universal migration of all NPS subscribers to the Old Pension Scheme. It specifically concerns the migration of the relevant pension cases involving death or disability.
Which Authorities Have Been Asked to Implement the New SOP?
The Central Pension Accounting Office has instructed the concerned authorities to take the necessary steps to implement the revised procedure. They have also been asked to bring the provisions of the updated SOP to the attention of all officers and officials working under their administrative control.
The memorandum has been circulated to the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Chief Controller of Accounts, Controller of Accounts, Accountant General and other concerned accounting authorities, as specified in the distribution list. It has also been sent to the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, the Assistant Controller General of Accounts, and the heads of the Central Pension Processing Centres and General Banking Divisions of authorised banks.
Copies have additionally been forwarded to the concerned offices and sections, including the relevant NPS sections, for information and necessary action.
What Should Pensioners Know?
Government employees, family pension claimants and other stakeholders dealing with eligible NPS-AR pension cases involving death or disability should note that the CPAO has revised the procedural guidelines governing migration to the Old Pension Scheme. The updated SOP is intended to make the process more manageable for the authorities involved.
Those seeking to understand their individual eligibility, required documents, processing stages or applicable pension benefits should refer to the complete revised SOP enclosed with the official memorandum or contact the relevant pension-processing authority. The October 19, 2026, memorandum announces a revision to the procedure; the detailed eligibility conditions and operational requirements should be verified from the accompanying SOP rather than assumed from the memorandum alone.