Every year, November becomes very important for pensioners because this is the month when they must submit their Life Certificate. This certificate proves that the pensioner is alive. If the Life Certificate is not submitted within the deadline, the pension gets stopped temporarily. Once the certificate is submitted, the pension starts again.
Earlier, pensioners had to stand in long queues at banks and post offices to submit their Life Certificate. This was especially difficult for senior citizens. To make the process easier, the government launched the Digital Life Certificate (DLC) service. Now, pensioners can submit their Life Certificate from home using a mobile phone or laptop within a few minutes.
Why Life Certificate Is Important
The Life Certificate system was started to stop fraud in the pension process. There were cases where pensions were being withdrawn even after the pensioner had passed away. To stop such fraud, the government made it mandatory to submit the Life Certificate every year. The deadline for submission is from November 1 to November 30. However pensioners above 80 years of age can submit their Life Certificate starting October 1.
Documents Needed to Submit Life Certificate
To complete the Life Certificate process, a pensioner needs basic details such as Aadhaar number, mobile number linked with Aadhaar, Pension Payment Order (PPO) number, bank account details, and biometric verification through fingerprint or iris scan.
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How to Submit Life Certificate Online from Home
The Digital Life Certificate can be created instantly using the Jeevan Pramaan portal or the UMANG app. A mobile phone or laptop needs to be connected to a biometric scanner. After opening the Jeevan Pramaan portal or UMANG app, enter your Aadhaar number and PPO number, complete the biometric scan, and your Life Certificate is generated automatically. The certificate is directly sent to your bank or pension department.
Submitting Life Certificate through UMANG App
The UMANG app offers a simple way to create your Life Certificate. Just open the app on your smartphone, search for the Jeevan Pramaan service, enter your details, and complete the biometric scan. The entire process is completed in a few minutes.
Offline Method to Submit Life Certificate
For pensioners who are not comfortable with the online process the Life Certificate can still be submitted offline. You can visit the nearest bank, post office & CSC center with your Aadhaar card, PPO number & bank passbook. The staff will take your biometric or generate your Life Certificate immediately.
How to Find the Nearest CSC Center
The Jeevan Pramaan website offers a locator to find the nearest center. Another easy option is to send an SMS by typing JPL and sending it to 7738299899. You will instantly receive details of the nearest CSC center.