Launched by the central government, National Pension Scheme is one of the most popular savings plans in India. Individuals can start their retirement planning by opening an NPS account today. The scheme offers two types of accounts; Tier 1 and Tier 2. The former is the default account, the latter is a voluntary choice of the individual.
Depending on the risk appetite, you may invest in mixed securities for stable returns. One of the most striking benefits of NPS is it also offers tax benefits of up to ₹1.5 lakhs. Although NPS does not encourage premature withdrawal until retirement, you may withdraw partially under special circumstances.
To invest in NPS, you may choose funds automatically or manually. There are currently 11 pension fund managers in India. However, for government employees, only SBI Pension Fund, LIC Pension Fund, and UTI Retirement Solutions manage funds. Before you start your NPS journey, let's have a quick look at the NPS return and top-performing schemes.
NPS Return Rates as of July 2019
Check out the table below for NPS returns rates given as of January 2025:
Pension Fund Managers
| 1-year equity returns (Tier-1)
| 1-year equity returns (Tier-II)
|
Aditya Birla Sun Life Pension
| 25.02
| 25.41
|
Axis Pension
| 24.41
| 24.32
|
HDFC
| 24.15
| 24.28
|
ICICI Pru
| 27.98
| 28.41
|
Kotak Mahindra Pension
| 27.21
| 27.05
|
LIC Pension
| 24.18
| 22.62
|
Max Life Pension
| 25.91
| 26.27
|
SBI Pension
| 24.44
| 24.24
|
Tata Pension
| 27.37
| 27.64
|
UTI Retirement
| 25.17
| 23.80
|
Source
Comparison of Average Returns for Tier 1 and Tier 2 Assets
The 1-year return on equity investment in Tier-I accounts ranged between 24% and 28%. ICICI Prudential Pension Fund registered the highest return of 28%, followed by Tata Pension Fund at 27.37%. In contrast, HDFC Pension Fund registered the lowest return of 24.15%. Thus, while all the funds fared well, ICICI had the highest growth among Tier-I investors.
For Tier-II accounts, NPS returns over 1 year varied from 22% to 28%. ICICI Prudential topped the charts once again with a return of 28.41%, and Tata Pension Fund was second with a return of 27.64%. The lowest return was provided by the LIC Pension Fund with 22.62%. Apparently, ICICI did the best again, with the highest returns for investors investing in Tier-II accounts. The performance difference demonstrates the significance of selecting the proper fund manager.
Who Should Consider Investing in NPS?
Except armed forces, anyone (18-70 years old) can invest in the National Pension Scheme. Whether you are from the public, private, or unorganized sector, NPS is open to you. All you have to do is regularly invest until retirement. After retirement, you can enjoy the benefits of a regular pension. You can also withdraw a percentage of the accumulated fund after retirement.
Now even minors can have an NPS account under NPS Vatsalya. Parents can open an NPS account for their kids. Until kids turn 18 years old, parents need to manage the account. After this, kids can manage their accounts on their own.
Note: Overseas citizens of India (OCI), Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) cannot subscribe to NPS.
Source
Key Features of the National Pension Scheme
Some of the highlighting features of the national pension scheme are as follows:
NPS is a voluntary, government-backed plan aimed at encouraging long-term retirement savings for Indian residents and citizens.
Indian citizens, NRIs, and OCIs who are between the ages of 18 and 70 years when joining.
Tier I accounts are compulsory for retirement purposes, whereas Tier II is discretionary and permits free withdrawals at any time.
Investments up to ₹1.5 lakh under Section 80C and an additional ₹50,000 under Section 80CCD(1B) of the Income Tax Act of 1961 are exempt from tax.
Contributions of up to 10% (or 14% in the case of government employees) of salary are exempt from tax under Section 80CCD(2).
Investment options are equity, corporate debt, and government securities with different risk and return patterns.
Contribution is flexible, with no mandatory amount or frequency, and is thus ideal for all income levels.
Partial withdrawal of up to 25% of self-contribution is possible after three years for certain personal expenses.
At the time of retirement, 60% of the corpus is tax-free and can be withdrawn, while 40% should be utilized for purchasing an annuity.
The scheme is regulated and supervised by the PFRDA to ensure investor protection and transparent operations.
How to Open an NPS Account?
Opening an NPS account is now quite easy and quick. Here are the steps to open an NPS account:
Visit the website of any Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRA)
Enter your details like PAN, email ID, and mobile number
Enter the OTP received on your mobile number to verify
Now follow the instructions given on the screen
Once done, you will receive your PRAN (Permanent Account Number) which can be used to login to the NPS website
Visit a nearby Point of Presence(PoP)
Fill out and submit the application form
Submit documents to complete the KYC process
Now you need to pay ₹500 for Tier 1 NPS account opening
Within 10 days, you will receive the PRAN kit at your address via post.
Comparing NPS Returns with Other Retirement Schemes
NPS is one of the several savings schemes in India. The returns offered by NPS are quite competitive in comparison to various other schemes like EPF and PPF. Here is a quick comparison of these schemes with NPS returns:
National Pension Scheme
| Mutual Funds
| Fixed Deposits
|
9-12% returns
| 10-14%
| 6-7%
|
Source
As you may see in the table above, NPS can offer around 9-12% annual returns which is at par with mutual funds and much higher than fixed deposits. Although mutual funds may offer higher returns than NPS, it has higher risks associated and is usually more volatile.