Addressing pensioners’ dilemma…AP extends OPS option to pre-2004 notified CPS staff

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a Government Order allowing eligible employees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Eligible individuals must exercise their option to switch by December 31, 2026 That is, employees who entered government service after September 1, 2004, despite having been recruited through notifications issued before that date, can now seek coverage under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), with the Andhra Pradesh government issuing detailed operational guidelines for the long-pending transition from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

The Finance Department’s GO Ms No. 158 has translated the policy decision issued earlier through GO Ms No. 53, dated July 13, 2026, into an implementation procedure. The crucial eligibility condition is the date of the recruitment notification or advertisement, not merely the date of appointment.

Employees whose recruitment notification was issued before September 1, 2004, but who joined service on or after that date and were brought under CPS, can exercise the one-time option. The government has fixed December 31, 2026, as the deadline for choosing the option. The facility is not confined to serving employees. Those who have already retired and family pension beneficiaries of deceased employees are also eligible, bringing former employees and their dependants within the scope of the exercise. The implementation process places considerable importance on documentary evidence establishing that the recruitment process began before the introduction of CPS. Applicants must obtain certified copies of the original recruitment notification, selection list, appointment order, and joining report from their original appointing authorities.

Recognising that obtaining old recruitment records could become a bottleneck, the government has directed the original appointing authorities to furnish the certified documents within 15 working days. These records will form the basis for verification of eligibility and processing of the OPS option.

The guidelines also specify the financial consequences of the transition. Once an employee’s OPS option is approved, arrangements will be made to bring the employee under the General Provident Fund (GPF) or an equivalent provident fund scheme. The employee’s contribution accumulated in the CPS corpus, as specified under the guidelines, will be transferred to the GPF account, while the government’s contribution along with the interest accrued on it will be remitted back to the government account.

The entire exercise, including submission of applications and verification of claims, will be undertaken online through the Nidhi portal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K Varaprasada Rao

K Varaprasada Rao[email protected]

K Varaprasada Rao is a Senior Reporter with The Hans India, covering the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, Chief Minister's Office (CMO), State Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council and political affairs. With over 20 years of experience in journalism in Andhra Pradesh, he has extensively reported on governance, public policy, politics, and socio-economic issues that shape the state's development and influence the country's evolving landscape. He holds a postgraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. His reporting focuses on finance, industries, irrigation, agriculture, infrastructure, investment, public administration, and political developments, with a particular interest in analysing their long-term economic and social impact.

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