EPFO Revamps Transfer Claim Process, Enables UAN Generation Without Aadhaar For Specific Cases

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced a few upgrades to its system. These are expected to benefit over 1.25 crore members across the country. The upgrades are part of the EPFO’s efforts towards streamlining employee services and easing procedural hurdles.

Form 13 Upgrade

The EPFO has overhauled the Form 13 functionality used for transferring provident fund (PF) accounts during job changes. Earlier, the transfer of PF balances required coordination between two regional offices — one initiating the transfer and the other receiving the funds. This often led to delays and made the process complex.

Under the new system, once a transfer request is approved by the source office — the EPF office currently holding the member’s funds — it will be automatically processed. The amount will then be credited to the member’s new account at the destination office without requiring further approval.

This change is aimed at reducing turnaround time.

Alongside simplifying the transfer process, the new functionality now clearly segregates taxable and non-taxable components of PF balances. This will enable exact calculation of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on interest earned from taxable contributions, reducing errors and tax-related grievances.

The EPFO estimates that this revamp will help facilitate the smooth transfer of around Rs 90,000 crore annually, greatly improving the speed and accuracy of transactions for millions of working professionals.

In a separate move focused on improving the employer experience, the EPFO has launched a facility allowing bulk generation of Universal Account Numbers (UANs) without the need for Aadhaar seeding in certain special cases. 

This development comes in response to persistent complaints related to the accounting of past PF contributions. These issues were common in cases involving transfers from exempted trusts after the cancellation of their exemptions or following recovery actions under quasi-judicial proceedings.

To address these concerns, EPFO has deployed new software that enables employers to generate UANs in bulk using member ID and other available employee details.

In a bid to maintain the integrity and security of PF accounts, these newly generated UANs will initially remain frozen. They will become fully operational only after Aadhaar seeding is completed, thereby striking a balance between accessibility and fraud prevention.