The EPFO is planning a major technology upgrade to help members validate their past service records more easily. By using advanced tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and machine learning (ML), the retirement fund body aims to reduce long-standing problems faced by workers while filing advance or final settlement claims.
Many EPFO members who joined the workforce before the introduction of the Universal Account Number (UAN) face difficulties in proving their employment history. In several cases, old employers may have shut down, records may be incomplete, or paperwork may be damaged or missing. This makes it hard for members to validate earlier service periods, leading to delays or rejections of claims.
These issues are especially common among people who changed jobs frequently and ended up with multiple provident fund accounts over the years.
EPFO plans to use AI- and ML-based models to assess and verify the authenticity of member claims. These systems can analyse available data patterns and supporting information to arrive at a logical conclusion, even when some records are missing.
Blockchain technology is expected to add an extra layer of security and trust. Once records are validated and stored, they can become tamper-proof, reducing disputes and errors in the future.
Together, these tools aim to speed up claim processing and reduce the need for repeated manual checks.
The use of new-age technology will also help members who are unable to merge multiple member IDs under a single UAN. Many workers have accounts from different employers that were never linked properly, making withdrawals and transfers difficult.
In addition, EPFO plans to prioritise inoperative accounts, which are accounts that have not received contributions for a long time. These accounts often belong to workers who lost track of their savings or were unable to complete formalities due to missing records.
Technology-driven verification can help bring such accounts back into the system and allow members to claim their funds.
The UAN, introduced in 2014, acts as a single identifier for all provident fund accounts linked to a member across different jobs. It simplifies tracking, transfers and online access to PF balances.
As of March 2024, over 20 crore UANs had been allotted, while total member accounts stood at more than 30 crore. Only a portion of these UANs are actively contributing, showing the scale of unlinked or inactive accounts.
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By adopting AI, blockchain and machine learning, EPFO is taking a significant step towards solving long-pending issues around service record validation. The move could make claims faster, reduce paperwork and help millions of members access their retirement savings with fewer hurdles.
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Published on: Jan 16, 2026, 4:51 PM IST
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