Pension Revision After Authorisation: DoPPW Reiterates Protection for Pensioners Under CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021

The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has reiterated that pension or family pension, once authorised after final assessment, will not be reduced to the disadvantage of the pensioner or family pensioner except to correct a clerical error detected later. The clarification comes through an Office Memorandum (OM) dated 30.10.2025 (F.No. 38/10(03)/2025-P&PW(A)), restating the position already conveyed via OM 38/10(04)/2024-P&PW(A) dated 18.10.2024.

What the OM Clarifies

• No adverse revision after authorisation: Under Rule 66(2) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 (read with Rules 7 and 8), pension/family pension once authorised or revised under Rule 66(1) shall not be revised to the disadvantage of the beneficiary unless it becomes necessary to rectify a clerical error discovered subsequently.
• Two-year safeguard: If such a clerical error is detected after two years from the date of authorisation or revision, no adverse revision may be ordered without the concurrence of DoPPW.

Who Decides if It’s a Clerical Error?

The OM makes it clear that the administrative Ministry/Department concerned will decide whether a revision is necessitated on account of a clerical error. This reinforces that routine post-authorisation cuts are not permissible unless they squarely fall in the “clerical error” category.

Excess Payment: Recovery and Possible Waiver

Where a revision under Rule 66(2) shows that excess pension/family pension was paid, the process will differ based on the cause:

• No misrepresentation by pensioner/family pensioner:
  • The administrative Ministry/Department shall consult the Department of Expenditure to examine whether recovery can be waived.
  • Appropriate orders should then be issued in line with the rules and instructions.
• If recovery is not waived:
  • The Head of Office will serve a notice to the retired Government servant or family pensioner, requiring refund within two months from the date of receipt.
  • If the refund is not made, the Head of Office may order adjustment in instalments by short payments of pension in future—in one or more instalments, as deemed fit.

Important: The OM explicitly states that the leniency to consider waiver applies when the excess is not due to any misrepresentation of facts by the pensioner or family pensioner.

What Ministries/Departments Must Do

All Ministries/Departments have been requested to circulate and ensure strict compliance with the above provisions of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021. The direction aims to prevent hardship arising from post-authorisation reductions that are not backed by a clerical-error correction.

View OM