PFRDA has postponed the implementation of revised NPS and NPS Lite charges to December 1, 2026. The changes cover onboarding fees and annual charges payable to Points of Presence (PoPs). Here’s what subscribers need to know about the charges and what the revised timeline means for them.
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The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has postponed the implementation of revised charges that Points of Presence (PoPs) can collect from subscribers under the National Pension System (NPS) and NPS Lite. The new date is December 1, 2026, instead of October 1.
The revised structure, announced on August 28, 2026, provides for a one-time onboarding charge of ₹200 per Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) and an annual charge of 0.20% of assets under management (AUM) across all NPS schemes.
In its circular released on October 26, 2026, PFRDA mentioned that “the date of implementation of the revised charge structure specified therein, which was earlier prescribed as 01.10.2026, stands revised to 01.12.2026.”
It further stated, “Accordingly, the Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRAs) shall implement the revised charge structure for deduction of applicable charges with effect from 01.12.2026.”
Here is what the change means for NPS subscribers.
What are PoPs, CRAs and NPS Lite?
Points of Presence (PoPs) are authorised intermediaries that help subscribers access NPS services, including account opening and contributions. Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRAs) maintain subscriber records and process related transactions, including the deduction of applicable charges.
NPS-Lite was launched in 2010 to provide affordable pension coverage to unorganised-sector workers, with government co-contributions under the Swavalamban scheme. Only Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) of the Department of Posts are allowed to enrol in NPS-Lite, as fresh enrolments were discontinued after the launch of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) in 2015.
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