If you’ve been trying to access EPFO services after the portal reopened, you may notice that a few familiar options have disappeared. Following a major system upgradethe Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has changed the way members activate their Universal Account Number (UAN) and generate a new one. Both services have now moved to the government’s UMANG app, where users must complete Aadhaar-based Face Authentication before proceeding.
The changes come after EPFO restored its Unified Member Portal following a nearly week-long maintenance and software upgrade aimed at improving the speed, security and reliability of its online services.
UAN ACTIVATION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE ON THE EPFO PORTAL
One of the biggest changes is that members can no longer activate their Universal Account Number through the EPFO Unified Member Portal.
From now on, anyone who wants to activate a UAN must use the UMANG app. The process also requires Aadhaar-based Face Authentication, making biometric verification a compulsory step.
Similarly, EPFO has removed the option to generate a new UAN through its website. This service has also been shifted entirely to the UMANG platform.
HOW CAN SUBSCRIBERS ACTIVATE THEIR UAN NOW?
The process has become app-based instead of web-based.
Subscribers first need to download the UMANG app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. After opening the app, they should select EPFO Services and then choose the ‘UAN Activation’ option available under ‘UAN Services Through Face Auth’.
The app will then ask users to complete Aadhaar-based Face Authentication. Once the verification is successful, they can follow the on-screen instructions to activate their UAN.
GENERATING A NEW UAN NOW FOLLOWS THE SAME PROCESS
Employees who need a fresh Universal Account Number will also have to use the UMANG app.
After opening the application, users should go to EPFO Services and select ‘UAN Allotment and Activation’. They will then need to complete Aadhaar Face Authentication before following the remaining steps to generate a new UAN.
The UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app brings together digital services offered by various government departments, including EPFO.
WHY HAS EPFO MADE THESE CHANGES?
According to EPFO, the changes are part of a wider technology upgrade that includes database consolidation and software modernisation. The objective is to make online services faster, more secure and more reliable for millions of Provident Fund subscribers.
The organisation believes that moving sensitive services such as UAN activation to Aadhaar-based Face Authentication will strengthen identity verification and reduce the chances of misuse.
SOME SERVICES MAY TAKE LONGER FOR NOW
Although the upgraded portal is now live, EPFO has cautioned members that claim settlements and other online requests could take a little longer than usual during the initial stabilisation period.
For around two weeks after the upgrade, additional verification and validation checks are being carried out in the background. As a result, processing times may temporarily increase.
EPFO has also advised members not to submit the same request repeatedly or make multiple login attempts during peak hours, as this could slow down the system further.
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