The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has offered fresh relief to salaried individuals by further extending the deadline for activating their UAN and linking their bank accounts with Aadhaar.This step is crucial for those intending to avail the benefits under the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme.
According to a recent circular from EPFO, the final deadline to complete the UAN activation and Aadhaar-bank account linking process is now June 30, 2025.
This deadline extension comes after multiple revisions and is aimed at giving employees additional time to fulfil the eligibility criteria for the ELI scheme.
“This extension applies to employees wishing to benefit from the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme.”
The Universal Account Number (UAN) is a 12-digit unique identifier issued by EPFO for each salaried employee. It helps manage your Provident Fund (PF) accounts even when you switch employers.
UAN activation provides access to several important EPFO services, such as:
Checking PF balance
Downloading passbooks
Submitting withdrawal or transfer claims
Updating personal details
“UAN activation is crucial as it allows employees to access various online EPFO services, including managing PF accounts, submitting claims, and real-time monitoring.”
Employees can activate their UAN using a simple Aadhaar-based OTP authentication. Here’s how:
Visit the EPFO Member Portal
Click on ‘Activate UAN’ under the "Important Links" section
Enter required details – UAN, Aadhaar, name, date of birth, and mobile number
Verify via the Aadhaar-linked OTP
Upon successful verification, a password will be sent to your registered mobile number
“To activate UAN, employees must use an Aadhaar-based One-Time Password (OTP).”
Announced in the Union Budget 2024 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme provides monetary benefits to qualifying employees. However, an active UAN and an Aadhaar-seeded bank account are mandatory to receive any benefits.
“There are three types of ELI schemes – A, B, and C – and all of them require UAN activation and Aadhaar seeding for employees to get money.”
Employees failing to complete the UAN-Aadhaar linking process risk missing out on these financial incentives.
“It must be pointed out that this initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to enhance transparency and efficiency in managing employee benefits through EPFO.”
ELI Scheme A: For new employees hired after a specific cutoff date
ELI Scheme B: For upskilling or training linked employment
ELI Scheme C: Performance-based employment incentives
All these schemes demand a UAN activated and linked to Aadhaar-backed bank accounts.
The EPFO’s decision to extend the UAN and Aadhaar-linked bank account seeding deadline till June 30, 2025, is a significant move to ensure that more employees can benefit from the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme.
As the government continues to digitise employee benefit systems, linking UAN with Aadhaar and an active bank account becomes essential not just for compliance but for unlocking monetary incentives under various schemes. With UAN, employees gain seamless access to a range of EPFO services—making PF management and claim processing more transparent and efficient.
If you're a salaried individual who hasn’t yet activated your UAN or completed the Aadhaar linkage, it’s vital to act now. Missing the deadline could mean missing out on valuable government-backed financial support.
The process is quick, fully online, and highly beneficial in the long run. Make sure your UAN is activated and Aadhaar-linked to fully utilise EPFO's digital benefits.