EPFO board meeting on 19 November: will the EPS minimum pension rise from ₹1,000?
EPFO's board meets on 19 November 2026 and a hike in the ₹1,000 minimum EPS pension may come up, as reported by Business Standard. Nothing is decided.
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) board meets on 19 November 2026, and a rise in the minimum pension under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) may be discussed. This is a report about a possible agenda item. No decision has been made, and nothing has been notified.
What was reported
Business Standard reported on 22 October 2026 that EPFO's Central Board of Trustees (CBT) will hold its 240th meeting on 19 November 2026 in Gir, Gujarat. It said the Ministry of Labour and Employment told members the date and venue in a letter sent the week before. The agenda is not final.
Two people aware of the matter told Business Standard that a proposal to raise the minimum monthly pension under EPS is likely to come up. Mint, which repeated the report on 23 October 2026, said it could not independently verify it, and that EPFO and the Labour Ministry did not respond to Business Standard's request for comment. Business Today reported on 12 October 2026 that CBT members also want to discuss the new ₹25,000 wage ceiling and to review the minimum pension.
What the minimum pension is now
The government has provided a minimum pension of ₹1,000 a month under EPS since September 2014. If a pension worked out by the EPS formula is lower than ₹1,000, the government tops it up to ₹1,000 from the budget, as reported by The Economic Times. Trade unions and pensioner groups have asked for a rise for years. Some have asked for ₹7,500 a month with dearness allowance, as reported by Business Standard. The government has said before that the financial health of the pension fund is a key point when it looks at such demands.
What the board is, and what it can do
The CBT is EPFO's top decision-making body. It is chaired by the Union Labour Minister and has members from state governments, trade unions and employers. Business Today reported that the board last met in March 2026 and approved an interest rate of 8.25% on EPF for 2025-26. Until the board meets and the government notifies any change, the current amount stays.
What this means for you
If you are an EPS pensioner on the minimum pension, nothing changes today. Your pension stays ₹1,000 a month until the government notifies a different amount. If you are an employee, the pension you will get depends on your pensionable salary and years of service, using the EPS formula. The new wage ceiling of ₹25,000 from 17 September 2026 changes how much goes into EPS each month. Our guide on the ₹25,000 wage ceiling explains it.
We will update this page after the meeting of 19 November 2026.
Sources: Business Standard: EPFO board may consider a hike in minimum pension at November 19 meeting, Mint: EPFO board to meet on 19 November, proposal to raise minimum pension under EPS likely to be on agenda, Business Today: More reforms, minimum pension likely to feature at EPFO's November 19 CBT meet, The Economic Times: EPS pension hike, can EPFO increase minimum monthly pension from Rs 1,000
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