By Vikas Sir, Founder & Senior Faculty – Cosmo Classes | 13 July 2026

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) launched the Amnesty Scheme, 2026 on 29 June 2026 under the Ministry of Labour & Employment. The scheme gives exempted Provident Fund (PF) trusts a one-time, six-month window to regularise their status under the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.

PF trusts are employer-managed funds operating within the EPF framework for employee retirement savings. Section 17 of the EPF Act, 1952 allows an establishment to be exempted from the statutory provident fund arrangement when prescribed conditions are met. The scheme covers establishments whose PF trusts are recognised under the Income Tax Act but lack a formal exemption notification from the Central or a State Government.

Key features include retrospective regularisation from the trust's inception up to a notified cut-off date, and a waiver of certain conditions under the Code on Social Security, 2020 such as minimum employee headcount, corpus-size norms and the three-year prior-compliance requirement. Applications are submitted to the Central Government through the concerned EPFO Regional Office.

Exam Facts

  • Scheme: Amnesty Scheme, 2026, launched by EPFO on 29 June 2026.
  • Ministry: Ministry of Labour & Employment.
  • Window: One-time six-month period for exempted PF trusts.
  • Section 17, EPF Act 1952: Deals with exemption from the statutory PF scheme.
  • Code on Social Security, 2020: Consolidates several labour welfare laws.

Practice Questions

Q1.The Amnesty Scheme, 2026 is associated with which organisation?
A. SEBI
B. EPFO
C. RBI
D. IRDAI

Show Answer

Answer: B – EPFO.

Q2.Which section of the EPF Act, 1952 deals with exemption from the statutory PF scheme?
A. Section 7
B. Section 12
C. Section 17
D. Section 19

Show Answer

Answer: C – Section 17.

Q3.Under which Ministry does EPFO function?
A. Finance
B. Labour & Employment
C. Corporate Affairs
D. Home Affairs

Show Answer

Answer: B – Ministry of Labour & Employment.

Q4.The Amnesty Scheme, 2026 offers exempted PF trusts a window of:
A. 3 months
B. 6 months
C. 1 year
D. 2 years

Show Answer

Answer: B – Six months.

Q5.The Code on Social Security was enacted in which year?
A. 2019
B. 2020
C. 2021
D. 2022

Show Answer

Answer: B – 2020.

UPSC / RPSC Relevance

  • UPSC Prelims: Government schemes, labour welfare laws, statutory bodies (EPFO).
  • UPSC Mains – GS Paper II/III: Social security, labour reforms, welfare governance.
  • RPSC / SSC / Banking: Current affairs and static GK on EPFO.

UPSC Mains Descriptive Question

Q. Amnesty schemes for exempted PF trusts aim to reduce litigation and unify compliance. Discuss the significance of the Code on Social Security, 2020 in reforming India's labour welfare framework. (250 words, 15 marks)