The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) introduced several reforms in 2025 to simplify and digitise the process. Here are the five most significant changes made by EPFO this year.
Digitisation of the joint declaration process
EPFO has digitised the joint declaration process from 16 January 2025 onwards. By linking the Universal Account Number (UAN) to Aadhaar, EPF members can finish the joint declaration online. However, if the UAN is not linked to Aadhaar, it becomes essential to submit the joint declaration physically.
Profile updation
A joint declaration is mandatory for employees to request changes to their profile details, which are verified by the employer. Hence, digitising the joint declaration helps with updating profile details such as name, date of birth, gender, nationality, parents’ names, marital status, spouse’s name, and other details online without any additional documents.
However, in certain cases for UANs created before 1 October 2017, members may need the approval of their employers.
Provident fund transfer for changing jobs
Earlier, transferring the provident fund when changing jobs required the approval of the employer. From 15 January 2025 onwards, the approval of the old or new employer is not necessary to transfer the provident fund.
Centralised Pension Payment System
EPFO implemented the Centralised Pension Payment System (CPPS) from 1 January 2025 onwards. This system allows pensioners to access their pensions from any bank nationwide, streamlining the process by removing physical verifications and decreasing the necessity for Pension Payment Order (PPO) transfers.
Previously, PPOs were shifted from one regional office to another for pension payment. Additionally, PPO is now compulsorily linked to UAN.
According to EPFO provisional payroll data for March 2025, there has been a net addition of 14.58 lakh members, a 1.15 per cent surge compared to March 2024. EPFO enrolled nearly 7.54 lakh new subscribers in March 2025, a 2.03 per cent increase from February 2025.