NPS Tatkal: open an NPS account on BHIM or PhonePe with Rs 250, then add Rs 10 at a time
Tatkal NPS lets you open an NPS account in a UPI app using your bank KYC. First payment Rs 250, later payments from Rs 10, one-time charge Rs 100.
Try it: NPS calculatorWork out your NPS corpus, the lump sum you can take (up to 80% for non-government subscribers), the annuity and the monthly pension it could buy.The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has a quick way to open a National Pension System (NPS) account without paperwork. It is called Tatkal NPS, and it runs inside UPI apps. The PFRDA chairman spoke about it again at an NPS Tatkal event in Mumbai on 4 November 2026, which is why it is in the news this week.
What Tatkal NPS is
Tatkal NPS is a paperless way to open an NPS retirement account from a UPI app. You do not fill a form or upload documents. The app uses the KYC your bank already holds, and your Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) is created as soon as your first payment goes through.
Who can use it
PFRDA's Tatkal NPS page says you can use it if you are:
- A resident Indian aged 18 to 85.
- Holding an active savings account with completed KYC.
- Using a mobile number registered with that bank.
NRIs, OCI card holders and minors cannot open an account this way.
Which apps and banks
PFRDA's page lists two partner apps as of 9 November 2026: BHIM and PhonePe. The facility is open only to customers of participating banks. In early October 2026 Mint reported that SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and IDFC FIRST Bank were on board, and the list may have changed since, so the app will tell you whether your bank is supported.
How it works
- Open BHIM or PhonePe, enter your date of birth, give consent and complete the FATCA declaration.
- Pick your savings account from the list the app fetches and confirm it with the OTP your bank sends.
- Make your first contribution through UPI. Your PRAN is generated right after the payment succeeds.
What it costs and how much to pay
- First contribution: at least Rs 250, according to PFRDA. One news report quoted a different minimum for a new Tier 1 account, so check the amount the app shows before you pay.
- Later contributions: at least Rs 10 each, any time, with no upper limit and no fixed schedule.
- One-time onboarding charge: Rs 100, or another amount PFRDA may set later.
- Where the money goes: by default into NPS Sanchay, chosen by your bank. You can change the choice after the account is open.
Things to keep in mind
NPS is a retirement account. The PFRDA chairman said on 4 November that NPS money is not easy to withdraw, unlike a mutual fund, and that is by design. Returns depend on the market and are not guaranteed. If you already have a PRAN, you do not need a second account. You can try your own numbers in our NPS calculator, and the recent NPS scheme naming and display rules explain what you will see when you choose a scheme.
Saifu is not registered with SEBI or PFRDA as an adviser. NPS investments are subject to market risk. This guide explains how a facility works and is not a recommendation.
Sources: PFRDA: Tatkal NPS, Financial Express: NPS Tatkal facility on PhonePe, BHIM, 9 October 2026, Mint: Pensions via UPI, 1 October 2026, NDTV Profit: PFRDA chairman at the NPS Tatkal launch event, 4 November 2026.
Rules, rates and limits change. Check the official source linked above before you rely on a figure here. Posts never contain referral or affiliate links from the writer.
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