The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the deadline for Universal Account Number (UAN) activation and Aadhaar linking one more time till June 30, 2025. UAN activation and seeding of Aadhaar with bank accounts are mandatory for availing benefits under the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme.

“Please refer to the circulars mentioned under references. In this connection, the competent authority has granted an extension of timeline for UAN Activation and AADHAAR seeding in bank accounts till 30th JUNE, 2025,” the EPFO has said in a circular.

The ELI Scheme aims to create over 2 crore jobs in the country within 2 years, and the government believes this will significantly contribute to increasing employment opportunities and enhancing livelihoods.

Three schemes for ‘Employment Linked Incentive’ were announced in Union Budget 2024-25 as part of PM Modi’s package of 5 schemes and initiatives to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 crore youth over 5 years with a central outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore.

Also read: EPFO 3.0 launch soon: 5 big changes every EPF member must know in 2025

The government had originally fixed this deadline as November 30, 2024. Since then this deadline has been extended multiple times since November.

What is UAN and why is it necessary to activate it?

If you are employed and your PF is deducted, then you must have heard about UAN (Universal Account Number) at some point or the other. It is a 12-digit unique number, which is linked to your PF account. Its biggest feature is that whenever you change jobs, instead of creating a new PF account every time, your UAN remains the same – that is, with a single number you can easily manage all your old and new PF accounts.

It is very important to activate UAN because without it you will not be able to take advantage of the online facilities of EPFO. After activation, you can check your PF balance online, transfer funds, download passbook and also withdraw money if needed. Also, if you want the PF amount to come directly to your bank account, then Aadhaar linking is also mandatory for this.

What is ELI scheme?

To increase employment in the country, the central government had announced a new scheme in the Union Budget 2024-25—Employment Linked Incentive i.e. ELI scheme. The aim of this scheme is to bring more and more people into formal employment and encourage companies to hire new people.

Under the ELI scheme, the government gives financial incentives not only to companies but also to employees. Under this, three major schemes have been announced, for which the government has kept a total budget of ₹ 2 lakh crore. Its aim is to benefit more than four crore youth of the country and bring them into a safe, organized work environment.

How to activate UAN online?

EPFO beneficiaries need to follow these steps to activate their UAN online through the EPFO Member Sewa portal:

Step 1: Go to the EPFO Member Sewa portal.

Step 2: Click on ‘Activate UAN’ under the ‘Important Links’ section.

Step 3: Enter the required details including UAN, Aadhaar, date of birth and phone number.

Step 4: Enter the OTP received on the registered number and complete the process.

Also read: EPFO ​​new rules 2025: 5 major changes all EPF members need to know

EPFO 3.0 launch

The EPFO is likely to launch its much-awaited platform EPFO 3.0 soon. Among several other features, this new platform will make the portal more accessible and efficient like banks. EPFO 3.0 will offer many advanced features including ATM PF withdrawals, faster claim processing, and many other digital services.

The EPFO is also working on enhancing its grievance mechanism and introducing an enhanced version of the grievance portal under EPFO 3.0.