Employee Enrolment Scheme 2025 launched to boost workforce formalisation
Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
The government on Saturday rolled out the Employee Enrolment Scheme 2025, providing a special window for employers to voluntarily enrol eligible employees left out from Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) coverage between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, and regularise their past compliance. The scheme shall remain open for six months, from November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.
Aimed at accelerating workforce formalisation and promoting ease of doing business, the regularisation of employees’ past compliance can be done under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said in a statement.
The Ministry said it will also encourage transparency, ensure universal EPF inclusion, and simplify the process of past regularisation.
Under this scheme, all establishments, irrespective of existing EPF coverage status, may declare any employee engaged by them who joined between July 1, 2017 and October 31, 2025, through the EPFO portal, the Ministry statement read.
For such cases, the employee’s share has been waived for the declared period if not deducted earlier. The employer’s obligation is limited to remit employer’s share, interest (Sec 7Q), administrative charges, and the ₹100 penal damages. A lump-sum penalty of ₹100 per establishment will be deemed compliance across the three EPF schemes, the statement said.
Establishments facing inquiries under Section 7A, Para 26B, or Para 8 of EPS-1995 remain eligible, with damages limited to ₹100 notionally. No suo-motu compliance action shall be taken by the EPFO, the Ministry assured..
The scheme was launched by Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya during the EPFO’s 73rd Foundation Day celebrations at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, Mandaviya lauded EPFO’s pivotal role in ensuring the social and financial well-being of India’s workforce and urged the organisation to “script a new chapter in citizen-centric service delivery” guided by renewed purpose and vision.
“EPFO is not merely a fund—it represents the trust of India’s workforce in social security,” he said. “As we celebrate this Foundation Day, it must ignite new motivation and energy, inspiring all officers to chart a vision for the years ahead. This vision will guide EPFO’s journey from Sankalp to Siddhi—from resolve to realisation,” he added.
Setting benchmarks
Emphasising efficiency, transparency, and empathy as the cornerstones of reform, the Minister said that every reform must translate into tangible benefits for workers. “EPFO must continue to cement citizens’ faith by ensuring fairness, speed, and sensitivity in service delivery. Let it set global benchmarks in social security as we move towards Viksit Bharat 2047,” he added.
Labour Secretary Vandana Gurnani commended EPFO’s transformation from a compliance-driven body to a citizen-centric institution. “Behind every file lies a worker, a family, and a dream. Each worker must be treated with dignity and respect—for social security is not just about systems, it is about people,” she said.
Highlighting EPFO’s central role in implementing the Prime Minister’s Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) announced on August 15, 2025, Gurnani said the programme seeks to incentivise 3.5 crore new jobs and expand formal employment across sectors. “EPFO’s stewardship of this visionary initiative reflects the government’s confidence in its institutional strength,” she noted, urging the organisation to evolve from social security to national prosperity.
EPFO Central Provident Fund Commissioner Ramesh Krishnamurthi reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to reform and technological advancement. “Through initiatives such as the Centralised Pension Payment System, Aadhaar and Face Authentication, and the revamped ECR system, EPFO has taken major strides toward seamless, technology-driven service delivery,” he said.
He announced that the upcoming EPFO 3.0 platform will further enhance efficiency and accessibility. “New initiatives such as simplified withdrawal categories and the Viswas Scheme have already eased compliance for employers. Our focus remains on strengthening trust, expanding coverage, and ensuring that every worker experiences EPFO as a partner in progress,” he added.
Published on November 1, 2025
