Understanding EPS 1995 Table D Withdrawal Benefit
Under the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS-95), while members who complete at least 10 years (120 months) of contributory service qualify for a monthly lifelong pension upon attaining superannuation (age 58), members who leave covered employment with less than 10 years of service are entitled to a lump-sum return of pension contributions governed by Paragraph 14 and Table D.
The Historic June 14, 2024 Table D Amendment (G.S.R. 327(E))
Prior to June 2024, Table D suffered from a structural inequity: factors were defined only by completed years. If an employee had less than 6 months of total service, their claim was rejected with zero withdrawal benefit, forfeiting their hard-earned contributions. Furthermore, service of 1 year 5 months was truncated down to 1 year.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment rectified this through Gazette Notification G.S.R. 327(E) dated 14 June 2024:
- Every Completed Month Counts: Table D now contains precise multiplier factors for every single month from 1 month to 113+ months.
- Protection for <6 Month Tenure: Over 7 lakh seasonal and short-tenure workers who previously received zero refund are now legally entitled to proportional withdrawal benefits starting from 1 month (factor 0.08).
- Formula:
Withdrawal Benefit = Last Monthly Pensionable Wages × Table D Factor.
Official Table D Benchmark Proportions
| Completed Service | Months | Table D Factor Multiplier | Payout on ₹15,000 Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | 1 mo | 0.08 | ₹1,200 |
| 6 Months | 6 mo | 0.50 | ₹7,500 |
| 1 Year | 12 mo | 1.02 | ₹15,300 |
| 2 Years | 24 mo | 1.99 | ₹29,850 |
| 3 Years | 36 mo | 2.98 | ₹44,700 |
| 5 Years | 60 mo | 5.02 | ₹75,300 |
| 7 Years | 84 mo | 7.13 | ₹1,06,950 |
| 9 Years 5 Months | 113 mo | 9.88 | ₹1,48,200 |
Withdrawal Benefit vs Scheme Certificate Decision
Before applying for lump-sum Table D withdrawal via Form 10C, employees should consider:
- Scheme Certificate Advantage: If you plan to join another covered establishment in the future, choosing a Scheme Certificate retains your past service credit. When you accumulate 10 cumulative years across employers, you become eligible for a permanent monthly lifelong pension and family pension.
- Loss of Pension Rights: Once you take a Table D cash withdrawal, your past service is extinguished. You cannot retroactively rejoin EPS for those years.