EPFO circular HRD/54/2023/HiringofConsultants/1511 · 19 Feb 2026
Official title
Recruitment of Domain Experts as advisors in the Investment Division- Regarding File No.:-HRD/54/2023/HiringofConsultants/1511 dated 19/02/2026
Official record
Open source pageSummary
Check the official recordThe Employees' Provident Fund Organisation updates its policy for hiring retired government servants and EPFO employees on a contract basis. The policy addresses personnel shortages and specialized skill requirements. It permits the engagement of retired officers from public sector financial institutions and regulatory bodies as Investment Consultants. Appointments require clear functional justification and must not replace regular staff for routine tasks. The tenure is generally one year, extendable up to five years after superannuation or age 65. Remuneration is fixed based on the last pay drawn minus pension, or 50 percent of the last pay for external financial experts. The policy mandates a confidentiality agreement and prohibits other assignments for consultants. Past expired contracts remain closed.
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See the full compliance calendarकर्मचारीभविष्य निधिसंगठन Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (श्रमएवंरोजगारमंत्रालय, भारतसरकार) (MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA) मुख्यालय / Head Office द्वितीयतल, ब्लॉक-II, ईस्टकिदवईनगर, नईदिल्ली-110 023 Second Floor, Block II, East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi-110 023 website: www.epfindia.gov.in, www.epfindia.nic.in
File No.:-HRD/54/2023/HiringofConsultants/1511
Dated: 19 FEB 2026
To
All ACC (HQ)/ ACC Zones & Head Office/ Director (PDNASS)/ All RPFCs-in-charge of Regional Offices/ Zonal Training Institutes
Subject: - Policy for hiring of retired officers and employees on contract basis in EPFO, 2023 - reg.
Ma'am/Sir,
Please refer to Office Order No. HRD/56/2021/Misc./1062 dated 11.07.2024 regarding the Policy for Hiring of Retired Officers and Employees on Contract Basis in EPFO.
The policy has been amended and approved by the Executive Committee in its 115th Meeting held on 19.12.2025 and the same is hereby placed in the public domain for implementation.
Yours faithfully,
(Amit Katoch)
Additional Central P.F. Commissioner (HQ) HR
Copy To :
(Saurabh Tripathi)
Regional P.F. Commissioner-I (HRD-I)
Annexure-A
The Organization faces the need for engagement of retired Officers and Employees of Government including EPFO in view of the vacancies existing in various cadres in EPFO order to tackle specialized issues for which the existing personnel may not have the required competency. In order to ensure that the work of the organization does not get hampered due to shortage of personnel or due to such absence of core competency in specific issues a provision has been made for hiring of retired employees and Officers. As the action for filling up of vacancies or hiring of specialized consultant through open market is a time taking procedure, arrangements for fulfilling the requirement will be done by hiring / engagement of retired officers and employees on contract basis. This shall be applicable to retired Government servants including EPFO.
However, for the purpose of engagement of Investment Consultants in the Investment Division, for the roles and responsibilities specified in Annexure-B, retired officers of the rank of General Manager of SBI or above of public sector financial institutions and regulatory bodies such as RBI, SBI, LIC, etc. may also be considered.
2.1 The appointment may be made only in justified exigencies of the official work where public interest is served by appointment of the retired employee.
2.2 No hiring should be done for routine day to day work when regular staff is available,
2.3 No hiring should be done as personal staff of senior officers and Minister if the job can be performed by a serving cadre officer.
2.4 At the outset, such appointments shall not be made as a matter of practice and must be kept at a bare minimum.
2.5 While making such appointments, adequate functional necessity with clear grounds must be placed before the Competent Authority.
3.1 The grade/cadre level of the retired Officer or Employee to be hired should be at par the level of work proposed.
3.2 The level of the required retired Officer or Employee to be clearly specified in the advertisement.
4.1 The officer/ employee should be retired Government servant (including EPFO), preferably from the post/cadre against which the hiring is being done.
4.2 While engaging retired Officer or Employee, the APAR for the last 5 years should be taken into consideration.
4.3 None of the officers/ employees in respect of whom Charge-Sheet issued/penalty imposed during the last 5 years should be considered for hiring.
5.1.1 The tenure of appointment shall ordinarily be for an initial period not exceeding one year which is extendable by another one year
5.1.2 Beyond two years after the age of superannuation i.e. beyond 62 years of age, where adequate justification exists, the term may be extended based on a review of the task and the performance of the contract appointee,
5.1.3 Provided it shall not be extended beyond 5 years after superannuation i.e. beyond 65 years of age.
5.2.1 A fixed monthly amount shall be admissible, arrived at by deducting the basic pension from the pay drawn at the time of retirement.
However, for all the retired officers of the rank of General Manager of SBI or above of public sector financial institutions and regulatory bodies such as RBI, SBI, LIC, etc (not retired from EPFO or Central Government), the remuneration shall be fixed at 50% of last pay drawn (Basic+ DA) by the officer.
5.2.2 The amount of remuneration so fixed shall remain unchanged for the term of the contract.
5.2.3 There will be no annual increment/ percentage increase during the contract period.
No HRA shall be admissible.
5.4.1 An appropriate and fixed amount as Transport Allowance for the purpose of commuting between the residence and the place of work shall be allowed not exceeding the rate applicable to the appointee at the time of retirement.
5.4.2 The amount so fixed shall remain unchanged during the term of appointment. However, retired employees so appointed may be allowed TA/DA on official tour, if any, as per their entitlement at the time of retirement.
Paid leave of absence may be allowed at the rate of 1.5 days for each completed month of service. Accumulation of leave beyond a calendar year may not be allowed.
6.1 The engagement of the retired officers/ employees will be generally done by the Open Advertisement calling for the names of the eligible retired persons including the retired officers from EPFO working in equivalent capacity and having the requisite experience.
6.2 However if so required, for reasons to be recorded in writing, CPFC may appoint any retired officer or employee for specific purpose, requiring specific skill without following the procedure detailed in the policy.
7.1.1 Engagement will be done by the headquarters only with the approval of the Central PF Commissioner.
7.1.2 A Screening Committee will be constituted by CPFC for screening of requests of the candidates.
7.2.1 Addnl. Central P.F. Commissioner (HQ)(HR) / Addnl. Central P.F. Commissioner (HQ)(Zone)/ Addnl. Central P.F. Commissioner (Zone) will be authorized for hiring as per the provisions stipulated above, after following the due procedure.
7.2.2 At Zonal level, Screening Committee may be constituted by ACCHQ / ACC (Zone).
8.1 Proper justification for hiring should be decided by the concerned authorities in consultation with the finance to avoid infructuous expenditure.
8.2 This policy may also be applied to engage Engineers because all categories of engineers will fall under either Group 'A' or 'B' category employees.
8.3 The hired Officer / Employee shall sign an agreement of confidentiality with the Government of India containing a clause on Ethics and Integrity.
