Costs and schemes Note · 4 min read

The yearly life certificate: keeping a parent's pension flowing

Pensioners must prove they're alive every November, and those over 80 can start from 1 October. Now it can be done with a face scan on a phone

The Pushpa team · 5 sources

Pushpa notes36

🙂Face scan doneLife certificate submitted

Pension continues

Pension, sorted

Every year, government pensioners in India must submit a life certificate to keep their pension coming. For a parent who finds bank visits hard, it used to mean a queue. Jeevan Pramaan, the government's digital life certificate, lets it be done with Aadhaar, and now with a face scan on a smartphone

1 Oct

the date pensioners aged 80 and above can submit their life certificate, a month before everyone else (DoPPW)

When

Most pensioners submit in November
Pensioners aged 80 and above get an early window from 1 October, to avoid the rush
The government runs a national Digital Life Certificate campaign every November. In 2026 it runs from 1 to 30 November

Ways to submit

Face authentication on a phone, on Android or iPhone, using Aadhaar. Nearly 80% of digital certificates are now done this way, the government says
Fingerprint or iris scan at a Jeevan Pramaan centre or bank. Iris scanners help when fingerprints have faded
Doorstep service through India Post Payments Bank postmen and through banks, for a small fee
Pensioners living abroad can use Indian embassies and bank branches abroad

What you'll need

Her Aadhaar number, Pension Payment Order (PPO) number, bank account details and a mobile number. Keep copies of all four in her emergency file, and set a reminder for October or November every year

How Pushpa helpsPushpa keeps her PPO and bank details with the rest of her papers, and reminds the family when the life certificate window opens, so the pension never stops for want of a form

Check the latest dates and options on jeevanpramaan.gov.in or with her pension-disbursing bank