The Ministry of Labour and Employment has directed the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to ensure that employees activate their Universal Account Number (UAN) using Aadhaar-based OTP. This initiative is designed to assist employees and employers in taking advantage of the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme introduced in the Union Budget 2024-25.
Activating UAN is essential for employees to utilise EPFO’s digital services. It simplifies the management of Provident Fund (PF) accounts, enables online claims submission, allows for personal details updates, and provides real-time claim tracking. Once UAN is activated, employees can access these services seamlessly 24/7 without the need to visit EPFO offices.
For employers, UAN activation ensures compliance with government schemes and facilitates the smooth administration of PF accounts. Using Aadhaar for UAN activation streamlines processes and enhances transparency.
By utilising Aadhaar-based verification, the necessity for various identity documents is eliminated, enabling faster access to benefits provided by government programmes.
The Ministry has instructed employers to complete UAN activation in two stages:
For employees who joined in the current financial year, activation must be completed by November 30, 2024. Employers should start with the latest hires and ensure that all UANs are activated.
Following the activation of current financial year employees, employers must proceed to activate UANs for all remaining existing employees.
Additionally, the next phase of the activation process will involve biometric authentication using face recognition technology to enhance security measures.
To activate UAN through Aadhaar-based OTP, follow these steps:
Go to the EPFO Member Portal.
Select “Activate UAN” under “Important Links”.
Fill in your UAN, Aadhar number, date of birth, and Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
Verify your details using the Aadhar OTP:
Click on “Get Authorisation PIN”.
Enter the OTP received on the Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
Upon successful activation, a password will be sent to your registered mobile number.
This process is in line with the government’s efforts to promote 100% Aadhaar-based biometric authentication.