The government has clarified that pension or family pension once fixed cannot be reduced unless there is a clear clerical or calculation error.
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Pension Scheme: The central government has provided significant relief to millions of central government employees and pensioners. The government has clarified that pensions or family pensions, once determined, cannot be reduced unless a clear clerical or calculation error is found. This order was issued on October 30, 2025, by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
DoPPW approval will be required
According to the new system, if an error in a pension or family pension is discovered more than two years later, approval from the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) will be mandatory before reducing it. The DoPPW’s office memorandum states, “Once a pension or family pension has been finally authorized or revised under Rule 66(1) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, it cannot be revised to the pensioner’s disadvantage unless a clerical error is found.”
What the company said
The department further stated, “If such an error is discovered two years from the date of fixation or revision of the pension, no reduction in the pension or family pension will be made without the consent of the DoPPW.” This move is significant because in the past, the department often reduced pensions or issued recovery notices citing “erroneous calculation” even years after retirement. This practice will now be discontinued.
What happens if a pensioner receives an excess payment by mistake?
The DoPPW has also clarified that if a pensioner has received an excess payment by mistake, and it is not due to their own fault or incorrect information, the concerned ministry will have to decide whether to refund or waive the amount. This will require consultation with the Department of Expenditure. If a decision is made to refund the amount, the pensioner will be given two months’ notice to return the amount. If the pensioner fails to do so, the amount can be recovered in installments from future pension installments. The Office Memorandum states, “If, after the revision of pension or family pension, it is found that an excess payment has been made to the pensioner, and this is not due to any incorrect information, the concerned ministry will have to decide, in consultation with the Department of Expenditure, whether to recover or waive the amount.”
Instructions to strictly follow the rules
The Department of Pensions has directed all ministries and departments to strictly follow this order. It has also been said that this order should be conveyed to all branches and pension sections so that no pensioner has to face unnecessary inconvenience in future.
Why this decision is important
In many cases, it was observed that even years after retirement, the department would reduce pensions or initiate recovery proceedings citing an “error of overpayment,” causing financial hardship for elderly pensioners. Now, with this new government order, pensions can only be revised if a genuine clerical error is found, and that too within a limited period (two years). This decision will not only bring transparency but also increase trust in the government pension system.
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