New Delhi, August 22, 2026: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has called upon establishments to make use of the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign 2026 (EEC 2026) to extend statutory social security benefits to eligible employees who were previously left outside the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) system.
Launched with effect from June 29, 2026, the special campaign offers employers a one-time opportunity to declare and enrol eligible employees who remained outside EPF coverage between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2026. The enrolment window will remain open until October 31, 2026, giving establishments a limited period to regularise eligible cases.
Under the campaign, employers can declare workers who were not covered by EPF during the specified period, provided the employees are alive and continue to be employed with the establishment on the date of declaration. EEC 2026 also provides certain compliance relaxations, including provisions for waiver of the employee’s share in cases where the contribution was not deducted earlier, subject to the conditions prescribed under the campaign.
The enrolment and contribution process is required to be completed through EPFO’s designated online system. For each declared employee, a Universal Account Number (UAN) based on face authentication is to be generated through the UMANG App, while the applicable contributions are required to be deposited through the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) mechanism.
The campaign provides establishments with a structured route to address past gaps in EPF coverage while enabling eligible workers to access important social security benefits, including provident fund savings, pension provisions and insurance protection. EPFO has advised employers to examine employment and wage records to identify workers who may qualify under the campaign.
To increase awareness, EPFO is conducting outreach and information initiatives targeting employers, employees, contractors, establishments and other stakeholders. Central and State Government departments, Union Territories, public sector undertakings, autonomous organisations and other institutions have also been encouraged to promote the campaign among establishments and service providers operating under their respective administrative jurisdictions.
EPFO has urged employers to take advantage of this limited-period opportunity and complete the enrolment of all eligible employees well before the October 31, 2026 deadline. The initiative is aimed at strengthening compliance while expanding the coverage of India’s formal social security framework to workers who may have remained outside EPF protection during the specified period.
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