In a major move to enhance operational efficiency and improve user experience, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced two significant changes in its claim settlement process. These simplifications are aimed at strengthening the Ease of Living for EPF members and promoting Ease of Doing Business for employers.
No More Cheque Leaf or Passbook Upload Required
One of the biggest reliefs for EPF members is the removal of the mandatory requirement to upload a scanned image of a cheque leaf or attested bank passbook while filing online claims. Earlier, many claims were rejected due to poor image quality or unreadable documents, causing unnecessary delays and member grievances.
Initially launched as a pilot initiative on May 28, 2024, this relaxation was provided to KYC-updated members. Within a short span, the pilot benefited over 1.7 crore members. Encouraged by its success, EPFO has now extended this benefit to all its members.
Since the name of the bank account holder is already verified during the bank account seeding process with the Universal Account Number (UAN), there is no further need for document uploads.
This change is expected to benefit nearly 6 crore EPF members instantly, significantly reducing the number of claim rejections and speeding up settlements.
Employer Approval No Longer Needed for Bank Seeding
Another important simplification targets the delay caused during the bank account seeding process. Previously, after bank verification, EPF members had to wait for their employers to approve the seeding request through a digital signature certificate (DSC) or e-sign. This approval step, which added no real value to the process, took an average of 13 days after bank verification — compared to just 3 days for the banks to do their part.
With over 36,000 bank account seeding requests raised daily, and 1.3 crore such requests submitted in FY 2024–25 alone, the employer approval stage was becoming a bottleneck. Currently, out of 7.74 crore contributing members, 4.83 crore have already seeded their bank accounts, while 14.95 lakh approvals are pending with employers.
To remove this hurdle and improve efficiency, EPFO has decided to eliminate the need for employer approval after bank verification. This measure is set to immediately benefit the 14.95 lakh members waiting for their employer’s nod, and will also simplify the process for new account seedings and bank account changes.
Aadhaar-Backed Authentication for Enhanced Ease
The new process will also benefit members looking to update or change their bank account details. Members can now enter their new bank account number and IFSC code, which will be authenticated using Aadhaar OTP verification — ensuring both security and ease of use.
This Aadhaar-based authentication eliminates the need for multiple layers of approval and empowers members to independently manage their account information through a simplified, self-service mechanism.
Conclusion
With these two measures, EPFO has taken a commendable step toward reducing administrative overheads, avoiding claim rejections, and accelerating service delivery. These reforms not only empower members by making processes more seamless and accessible but also unburden employers from non-essential procedural tasks. As a result, both employee satisfaction and system efficiency are expected to see a significant boost.
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