The Ministry of Labour and Employment has announced the launch of the Employees’ Enrolment Scheme, 2025 (EES 2025) — a major initiative aimed at extending the benefits of organized social security under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to a larger section of workers across India.
The scheme will be operational from November 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, and marks another step by the government toward ensuring that no eligible worker is left outside the ambit of the EPF and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
This new initiative follows the success of the 2017 enrolment drive, which facilitated the inclusion of left-out employees eligible between 2009 and 2016.
Objective of EES 2025
The Employees’ Enrolment Scheme 2025 is designed to encourage employers — both existing and newly registered under the EPF Act — to voluntarily declare and enroll all eligible employees who, for any reason, were not covered earlier.
Under this scheme, employers can enroll all existing employees who joined between July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2025, provided these employees are alive and still employed on the date of declaration.
The scheme provides a unique opportunity for employers to regularize their workforce records while ensuring that their employees gain access to long-term social security benefits, such as provident fund accumulation, pension, and insurance coverage.
Key Features and Benefits
EES 2025 offers several incentives and relief measures to facilitate participation and compliance:
- Waiver of Employee’s Contribution:
The employee’s share of the provident fund for the past period (July 1, 2017 – October 31, 2025) will be completely waived, provided it was not deducted from the employee’s wages. - Employer’s Responsibility:
Employers are only required to pay their own share of contributions for the said period, reducing the financial burden of retrospective compliance.
- Nominal Penal Damage:
A one-time penal damage of ₹100 (lump sum) will be levied on the employer, a significant reduction compared to the usual penalties for EPFO non-compliance. - Universal Eligibility:
The scheme is open to all establishments, including those under inquiries under Section 7A of the EPF Act, paragraph 26B of the EPF Scheme, or paragraph 8 of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995. - Protection from Prosecution:
No suo motu compliance action will be initiated by the EPFO against employers who avail of EES 2025, in respect of employees who have already left the establishment before the declaration date.
Integration with PM-Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana
Employers who register or declare employees under the Employees’ Enrolment Scheme 2025 will also be eligible to avail benefits under the Pradhan Mantri-Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, subject to fulfillment of the scheme’s specific terms and conditions.
Simplified Online Declaration Process
To make the process seamless and transparent, employers must submit their declarations online through the official EPFO portal. The process involves:
- Declaring employee details online.
- Linking the declaration to the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) or Temporary Return Reference Number (TRRN) for contribution payment.
- Paying the lump sum penal damage of ₹100 electronically.
Impact and Expected Outcomes
The Employees’ Enrolment Scheme 2025 is expected to significantly increase EPFO enrolments, extending social security benefits to millions of workers who were previously outside the formal system.
By providing employers with a low-cost, compliance-friendly route to regularize their workforce, the scheme strengthens India’s goal of universal social protection and ease of doing business.
The initiative also supports the government’s broader vision of inclusive growth, formalization of employment, and social security for all, ensuring that both employers and employees benefit from structured, transparent, and technology-driven compliance mechanisms.
