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Employees' Enrolment Scheme - 2025 was launched by Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports at the 73rd Foundation Day of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in New Delhi, aiming to boost voluntary compliance and expand social security coverage for eligible employees across India.
According to a release by the Ministry, the Employees' Enrolment Scheme - 2025 provides a special window for employers to voluntarily enrol eligible employees who were left out from EPF coverage between 1st July, 2017 and 31st October, 2025, and to regularise their past compliance under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. It further aims to encourage transparency, ensure universal EPF inclusion, and simplify the process of past regularisation. The Scheme shall remain open for six months, from 1st November, 2025 to 30th April, 2026. Under this scheme, all establishments, irrespective of existing EPF coverage status, may declare any employee engaged by them who joined between July 1, 2017 and October 31, 2025 through the EPFO portal. In respect of such employees, the employee's share has been waived for the declared period if not deducted earlier, the Ministry added. The employer's obligation is limited to remit employer's share, interest (Sec 7Q), administrative charges, and the Rs 100 penal damages. A lump-sum penalty of Rs 100 per establishment will be deemed compliance across the three EPF schemes. Establishments facing inquiries under Section 7A, Para 26B, or Para 8 of EPS-1995 remain eligible, with damages limited to Rs 100 notionally. No suo-motu compliance action shall be taken by the EPFO. This scheme is expected to facilitate wider EPF coverage and formalization of the workforce through simplified path for employers to regularize past omissions. This is also a giant leap towards strengthening the goal of "Social Security for All" and ensuring that every worker is part of India's organized social safety network. (ANI)
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