Enhanced Family Pension After Retirement: DoPPW Issues Clarification

Table of Contents

Date: October 27, 2025
Issued by: Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW)
Office Memorandum No.: 1/1(90)/2024-P&PW(E)-Part(1)/10344

Introduction

The Government of India has issued an important clarification regarding the Enhanced Rate of Family Pension for cases where a government employee dies after retirement.
This clarification aims to remove confusion among pensioners and family members, especially in cases where the retirement age is more than 60 years, such as for Central Health Service (CHS) doctors.

Background

The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has been receiving several references and RTI applications seeking clear information about the duration of enhanced family pension when a retired government servant passes away after retirement.

As per the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021 — Rule 50(2)(a)(iii), the enhanced rate of family pension is governed by the following provision:

“In the event of death of a Government servant after retirement, the family pension shall be payable for a period of seven years, or for a period up to the date on which the retired deceased Government servant would have attained the age of sixty-seven years had he survived, whichever is less.”

This means that the enhanced family pension is not fixed for a uniform period of seven years — it depends on the age the employee would have reached 67 had they lived longer.

Clarification from DoPPW

The recent Office Memorandum (OM) clearly states that Rule 50(2)(a)(iii) applies to all cases — regardless of whether the retirement age is 60 years or 65 years.

For example:

If a CHS doctor retires at 65 years and unfortunately passes away before turning 67,
➤ the family pension will be payable at the enhanced rate only up to the date he would have turned 67, not for the full seven years.

In short, the enhanced family pension period ends earlier — either after seven years or upon the date the retiree would have turned 67, whichever comes first.

Official Statement

This clarification has been approved by the competent authority and signed by
Shri Dilip Kumar Sahu,
Under Secretary to the Government of India.

Why This Matters

Such clarifications are crucial for families of retired government employees. Many dependents rely heavily on family pension benefits, and understanding the exact duration of enhanced pension ensures they can plan finances better and avoid confusion during claim processing.

It also reinforces the government’s commitment to transparency and clarity in pension-related matters, particularly under the revised CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021.

Download Official OM (PDF)

👉 Click here to download the official Office Memorandum (27 Oct 2025)

Bottom Line

The DoPPW’s clarification settles an important question for retirees and their families.
Regardless of whether the retirement age is 60 or 65 years, the Enhanced Rate of Family Pension is valid only for:

7 years, or
Until the date the deceased retiree would have turned 67,

— whichever is earlier.

This simple yet significant clarification will help thousands of pensioners and their families understand their rightful entitlements under the new pension rules.