Railway Pensioners
Railway Pensioners
Key Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Statutory Pension Scheme | Railway Services (Pension) Rules, 1993 |
| Minimum Qualifying Service | 10 years (w.e.f. 01.01.2006) |
| Normal Superannuation Age | 60 years for all Railway servants |
| Retirement Age for Running Staff | 60 years (55 yrs upto 31.12.2003) |
| Pension Disbursing Authority | 68 Railway Pension Offices (RPOs) under 17 Zonal Railways |
| Digital Life Certificate | Jeevan Pramaan – bio-metric, Aadhaar-linked |
| Family Pension Eligibility | Spouse → unmarried son/daughter → dependent divorced daughter/widow daughter |
| Commutation of Pension | Max 40 % of basic pension; restored after 15 years |
| Gratuity Ceiling (2025) | ₹20 lakh (enhanced w.e.f. 01.01.2016) |
| Dearness Relief Formula | AICPI (2001=100) average for past 12 months |
| Pension Revision | 7th CPC fitment factor 2.57 w.e.f. 01.01.2016 |
| Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) | ₹1,000 pm (opted out of RELHS) |
| RELHS Subscription (2025) | ₹250 (one-time) + ₹100 pm for self; ₹50 pm for spouse |
| Pension Account Number | 12-digit PAN-based PPO number |
| Online Pension Portal | “Parichay” – pensioner’s dashboard & e-PPO download |
Important Points
- Pension is payable from the date of retirement/superannuation, not from the date of PPO issue.
- Railway pension is wholly exempt from Income Tax under section 10(18) of IT Act.
- Nomination for Retirement Gratuity & Commutation must be submitted 6 months before retirement.
- Family pension ceases on remarriage of spouse; can be restored if remarriage is dissolved.
- Railway pension can be drawn anywhere in India through any authorised bank/Post Office CBS.
- Missing railway employee: family pension admissible after 7 years of lodging FIR.
- Railway servants absorbed in PSUs retain Railway pension & DR but no pay fixation benefit.
- Children with lifetime disabilities get family pension for life, irrespective of age/marital status.
- Railway Board can withhold/withdraw pension if pensioner is convicted of serious offences.
- Digital life certificate is mandatory every November; failure invites pension stop.
- Pensioners can opt for 2nd spell of commutation after 15 years of first commutation.
- Widow/divorced daughter must produce non-remarriage & non-earning certificate every year.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 What is the minimum qualifying service for earning Railway pension (w.e.f. 01.01.2006)?
A) 5 years
B) 10 years
C) 15 years
D) 20 years
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B Explanation: As per Railway Board orders effective from 01.01.2006, a Railway servant must render a minimum of 10 years of qualifying service to become eligible for pension.Question:02 Which authority issues the Pension Payment Order (PPO) to Railway pensioners?
A) Ministry of Railways (Rail Mantralaya)
B) Railway Pension Office (RPO) of the concerned Zonal Railway
C) Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO)
D) Pay & Accounts Office (PAO) of the Division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Pension Payment Order (PPO) is issued by the Railway Pension Office (RPO) of the concerned Zonal Railway, which is the designated authority for processing and authorizing pension payments to retired railway employees.
Question:03 Maximum percentage of basic pension that can be commuted is—
A) 25 %
B) 33 %
C) 40 %
D) 50 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: CExplanation: As per Railway Services (Pension) Rules, a pensioner may commute up to 40 % of his basic pension.
Question:04 After how many years is the commuted portion of pension automatically restored?
A) 10 years
B) 12 years
C) 15 years
D) 20 years
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As per Railway Services (Pension) Rules, the commuted portion of pension is automatically restored after 15 years from the date of commutation.
Question:05 What is the income-tax status of Railway pension?
A) Fully taxable under section 17(3)
B) Fully exempt under section 10(18)
C) 50% exempt under section 80C
D) Taxable after standard deduction
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Railway pension is fully exempt from income tax under section 10(18) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Question:06 Dearness Relief on Railway pension is linked to which price index?
A) WPI (2011-12=100)
B) CPI-IW (2016=100)
C) AICPI (2001=100)
D) CPI-AL (1986-87=100)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Dearness Relief (DR) for Railway pensioners is revised twice a year based on the All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI) with base year 2001=100, as notified by the Labour Bureau.
Question:07 What is the one-time subscription fee for joining RELHS in 2025?
A) ₹100
B) ₹150
C) ₹250
D) ₹300
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As per the 2025 RELHS rules, the one-time subscription amount payable at the time of joining is ₹250.
Question:08 Which portal allows Railway pensioners to download e-PPO & update profile?
A) Sampark
B) Parichay
C) SEVA
D) RailSaarthi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Parichay is the official portal through which retired Railway employees can download their electronic Pension Payment Order (e-PPO) and keep their pensioner profile updated.
Question:09 [Within which month must digital life certificate be submitted every year?]
A) October
B) November
C) December
D) January
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Pensioners are required to submit their digital life certificate every year in November to ensure uninterrupted pension disbursement.
BETA
