Most workers in India's unorganised sector — daily wage labourers, street vendors, domestic help, small farmers, drivers — have no pension waiting for them after age 60. Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched by the Government of India in 2015 to fix exactly this gap. For a contribution as small as ₹42 a month, a subscriber can lock in a guaranteed pension of up to ₹5,000 every month for life after turning 60. This guide explains who can join, how much you need to pay, and how to enrol online in 2026.
What is Atal Pension Yojana?
APY is a government-backed, guaranteed pension scheme regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and administered through the National Pension System (NPS) architecture. Subscribers choose a fixed monthly pension amount — ₹1,000, ₹2,000, ₹3,000, ₹4,000, or ₹5,000 — and pay a small monthly contribution until age 60. After 60, the subscriber receives that exact pension amount every month for the rest of their life. On the subscriber's death, the spouse receives the same pension. After both die, the nominee receives the entire accumulated pension corpus as a lump sum.
Who Can Apply — Eligibility
- ●Must be an Indian citizen aged between 18 and 40 years
- ●Must hold a savings bank account or post office savings account (individual, not joint-only)
- ●Aadhaar number and a registered mobile number are mandatory for enrolment
- ●As per PFRDA rules effective 1 October 2022, income-tax payers are not eligible to newly enrol in APY
- ●Should not already be a member of any other statutory social security scheme with a similar pension benefit
The earlier you join, the lower your monthly contribution for the same pension amount — because your money grows for a longer number of years. Joining at 18 for a ₹5,000 pension costs about ₹210/month; joining at 40 for the same pension costs about ₹1,454/month.
Monthly Contribution Chart (Approximate, by Joining Age)
| Joining Age 18 — Pension ₹1,000 / ₹5,000 | ₹42/month / ₹210/month |
| Joining Age 25 — Pension ₹1,000 / ₹5,000 | ₹76/month / ₹376/month |
| Joining Age 30 — Pension ₹1,000 / ₹5,000 | ₹116/month / ₹577/month |
| Joining Age 35 — Pension ₹1,000 / ₹5,000 | ₹181/month / ₹902/month |
| Joining Age 40 — Pension ₹1,000 / ₹5,000 | ₹291/month / ₹1,454/month |
You can pay this contribution monthly, quarterly, or half-yearly. Most subscribers set up an auto-debit (standing instruction) from their bank account so the amount is deducted automatically on a fixed date — there is no need to visit the bank every month.
How to Apply Online via eNPS
- 1Go to the official eNPS portal at https://enps.nsdl.com/eNPS/NationalPensionSystem.html
- 2Click 'National Pension System' from the top menu, then select 'Atal Pension Yojana (APY)'
- 3Click the 'Apply Online' button and choose 'Registration'
- 4Enter your bank account number, IFSC code, and mobile number, then click 'Submit'
- 5Complete Aadhaar-based OTP verification — enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number
- 6Fill in personal details — name, date of birth, gender, nominee details, and spouse details (if married)
- 7Select your desired monthly pension amount (₹1,000 to ₹5,000) from the dropdown — the system auto-calculates your monthly contribution
- 8Review the auto-debit mandate details and click 'Confirm & Proceed'
- 9E-sign the application using Aadhaar OTP to complete registration
- 10Download and save the acknowledgement receipt containing your PRAN (Permanent Retirement Account Number)
How to Apply via Bank / Post Office (Offline)
- 1Visit the bank branch or post office where you hold your savings account
- 2Ask for the 'Atal Pension Yojana Registration Form' at the counter or download it from your bank's website
- 3Fill in your name, Aadhaar number, mobile number, nominee details, and chosen pension amount
- 4Sign the auto-debit mandate authorising the bank to deduct your monthly contribution
- 5Submit the form along with a self-attested copy of Aadhaar card to the branch officer
- 6Collect the acknowledgement slip — your PRAN card will be sent by post or made available via net banking within a few weeks
Documents Required
- ●Aadhaar card (mandatory for both applicant and nominee, where possible)
- ●Active savings bank account or post office savings account
- ●Registered mobile number
- ●Nominee's name, date of birth and relationship details
- ●Spouse's Aadhaar and bank details, if the applicant is married (for spouse pension continuation)
Tax Benefits
Contributions to APY qualify for tax deduction under Section 80CCD(1) of the Income Tax Act, within the overall ₹1.5 lakh limit under Section 80C. An additional deduction of up to ₹50,000 is available under Section 80CCD(1B), over and above the 80C limit — the same benefit available to NPS Tier-I subscribers.
What Happens If You Miss a Payment
A penalty charge applies for delayed monthly contributions: ₹1/month for contributions up to ₹100, ₹2/month for ₹101–500, ₹5/month for ₹501–1,000, and ₹10/month for contributions above ₹1,000. If your account remains unpaid for 6 months it is frozen, for 12 months it is deactivated, and after 24 months of non-payment it is closed and the balance returned to you.
Premature Exit and Withdrawal Rules
| Exit before age 60 (voluntary) | Not permitted, except in case of death or terminal illness of the subscriber |
| Death of subscriber before 60 | Spouse can continue the account or exit with full corpus (subscriber's contribution + interest) |
| On reaching age 60 | Subscriber starts receiving the fixed monthly pension for life |
| Death of subscriber after 60 | Spouse receives the same monthly pension for their lifetime |
| Death of both subscriber and spouse | Nominee receives the entire accumulated pension corpus as a lump sum |
APY is one of the few pension products in India where the monthly payout is guaranteed by the Government of India, regardless of how the underlying investments perform — making it a safe option for low-income and informal-sector workers who cannot take market risk.
Checking Your APY Account Status
You can check your contribution history and account balance anytime by logging into your net banking account and navigating to the APY/NPS section, or by visiting the eNPS portal and selecting 'View Transaction Statement' with your PRAN and date of birth.
Helpline and Support
For queries or complaints, subscribers can call the PFRDA toll-free helpline at 1800-110-069, or the NPS Trust helpline at 1800-222-080. Complaints can also be raised through the official grievance portal at https://cra-nsdl.com or by visiting the bank branch where the account was opened.