Look at key events, concepts, terms, quotes or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here is today’s UPSC Current Affairs knowledge nugget on ‘Jeevan Praman’ or Digital Life Certificate.
(Relevance: The scheme is aligned with the Government Schemes and Policies component of the curriculum and reflects the application of technology in social care management, showcasing how digital innovations can reduce bureaucratic hurdles and promote citizen-centred governance – an important aspect of the GS II (Governance and e-Governance Initiatives) paper.)
Why in the news?
November is an important month for retirees. Every year, dozens of retirees line up in front of banks or post offices to obtain their life certificate in November. A life certificate is a very important step for pensioners that contributes to their financial safety and prevents them from trouble. This is the place Digital Life Certificate or Jeevan Braman becomes important.
Key takeaways:
1. Jeevan Pramaan is a biometrics-enabled digital service for retirees. Retirees from Central Government, State Government or any other government organization can avail this facility.
2. One of the most important requirements for pensioners after their retirement from service is to submit life certificates to the approved entities for disbursing pensions, such as banks, post offices, and others.
3. In order to obtain this life certificate, the individual receiving the pension must either present himself in person before the pension disbursing agency or obtain a life certificate issued by the authority in which he previously served and delivered to the disbursing agency.
4. It causes a lot of unnecessary hardship and inconvenience, especially for elderly and infirm pensioners.
5. In addition, many government employees after their retirement choose to move to a different location either to be with their families or for other reasons, which causes a major logistical problem.
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6. To overcome these challenges, the Government of India launched the Jeevan Praman or Digital Life Certificate initiative under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on November 10, 2014. The face verification feature was launched in 2021.
7. This scheme addresses the above issues by digitizing the entire process of securing a life certificate. It aims to simplify the process of obtaining this certificate and make it hassle-free and much easier for retirees.
8. For Jeevan Pramaan (DLC), the pensioner is not required to present himself personally before the pension disbursing officer. It is not necessary to physically submit the DLC to the pension disbursing agency (bank/post office etc.) as it is available to them digitally and. It is automatically processed by the pension disbursing agency. Each DLC also has a unique identifier called Braman ID.
9. Pramaan/Jeevan Pramaan ID is invalid for life. The validity period of the certificate shall be in accordance with the rules determined by the Retirement Sanctions Enforcement Authority. Once the validity period expires, a new JeevanPramaan certificate must be obtained, i.e. a new Pramaan ID must be obtained.
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10. A pensioner who has joined Pension Sanctioning Authority (PSA) in JeevanPramaan is eligible for Jeevan Pramaan.
11. A pensioner who has been reemployed or remarried is not eligible for JeevanPramaan, i.e. digital life certificate. They are required to submit a life certificate in the traditional manner to their pension disbursing body.
12. Aadhaar number or VID is essential to create/obtain JeevanPramaan Certificate i.e. Digital Life Certificate.
13. JeevanPramaan i.e. DLC is not a must-have but an addition to the already existing ways of giving life testimony.
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14. Digital Life Certificate is a valid and recognized certificate under the IT Act.
15. To prevent fraud and abuse, the government has made it mandatory for Pension Disbursing Agencies (PDAs) to verify the life certificate before adding the pension amount. Retirees are allowed to complete the life certification process from November 1 to November 30. The elderly, or those over the age of 80, get an additional month. Those over 80 years old can submit a life certificate from October 1 to November 30. While obtaining a life certificate is mandatory, it is not mandatory to obtain it in person.
Behind the block: CPENGRAMS and UMANG APP
1. Central Pension Grievances Redressal and Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS) is an online computerized system developed with the aim of speedy redressal and effective monitoring of grievances besides providing quick access to the pensioners. Retirees can also appeal if they are not satisfied with the handling of their complaints.
2. Other ways to submit grievances are through mail, toll-free number and UMANG application.
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3. Unified Mobile App for New Age Governance UMANG A Digital India initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and IT, MeitY refers to multiple government services that can be accessed through the UMANG mobile app, website and authorized help partner centres.
4. Jeevan Pramaan Certificate or Digital Life Certificate can also be generated through the UMANG app.
Post a reading question
Referring to the digital life certificate or jivan praman, consider the following statements:
1. Praman/Jeevan Praman ID card is valid for life.
2. A pensioner who has been reemployed or remarried is not eligible for JeevanPramaan i.e. Digital Life Certificate.
Which of the above statements is true/correct?
(A) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
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(tags for translation)Life Certificate for Pensioners 2025
