EPFO to accept Aadhaar as birth proof to rectify birth date 

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will now accept the aadhaar card as a valid birth proof online. The announcement was made by the labour ministry on April 5, 2020.

The EPFO has issued revised instructions to its field officers to enable all the PF account members to rectify their birth date in EPFO records using their Aadhaar card if not done already. This will ensure that their account is KYC compliant.

The move is a part of the EPFO’s efforts to extend the availability and reach of its online services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Key Details

• The date of birth given on the Aadhaar card will now be accepted as a valid proof of birth for rectification in birth dates in the EPFO records.

• The requests to rectify the date of birth can be submitted online by the PF members. 

• The EPFO has issued instructions to its field offices to fasten the disposal of online requests, enabling the PF members in financial distress, to avail non-refundable advance online from their PF accumulations to help them get through the COVID-19 crisis.

EPFO's full statement

Significance

The move will enable the EPFO to validate the birth date of members instantaneously with UIDAI, thus reducing the processing time of such requests. It would also help the members to make their universal account numbers KYC compliant.

Background

The EPFO had earlier issued a notification allowing its members to withdraw three months basic pay and dearness allowance as non-refundable advance to help them get through the COVID-19 lockdown from March 28, 2020. The facility was, however, made available to only those members whose KYC compliance was complete.