In this post, I will discuss an aspect of NPS about which I have received quite a few queries.
What to do if you have two NPS accounts?
Based on the number of queries that I receive on the issue, having two NPS accounts is not very uncommon.
They got one through their employer. Subsequently, when they read about exclusive tax benefit of Rs 50,000 for investment in NPS Tier-I account under Section 80CCD(1B), they opened another NPS account either online or through a local PoP/PoP-SP. Little did they know that they were getting into a bit of trouble.
Do note you can’t have two NPS Tier-I accounts (or 2 PRANs). PRAN stands for Permanent Retirement Account Number. However, you can hold both Tier-I and Tier-II NPS accounts. Therefore, it is perfectly fine if you have a NPS Tier-I and a NPS Tier-II account. The problem is when you have two Tier-I NPS account.
Read: Common Doubts about NPS
Read: NPS: Tax Benefits and Tax Treatment at maturity
How to close the second NPS account?
I raised the following query with NSDL CRA from eNPS portal
Dear Team,
I have come across a few people who have accidentally opened two PRANs (two NPS Tier I accounts).
Since a person cannot have two PRANs, what is the procedure to rectify the issue (and close one PRAN)?
Here is the response from NSDL CRA.
Dear Subscriber,
We wish to inform you that one subscriber cannot use two PRANs in NPS. Further, subscribers who have two PRANs has to send deactivation request of one PRAN to CRA. If you have two PRANs then you are requested to provide your second PRAN. It will enable us to resolve your query. We thank you for being our valuable Subscriber.
What about the corpus in the second NPS account?
As you can see in the above response from NSDL, there is no clarity about how to send the deactivation request. There is no specific format.
And of course, what about the accumulated corpus in the second account? Does the amount have to be withdrawn or the amount can be merged with your first NPS account.
I called up NSDL CRA with this follow-up query.
I was told that:
- You need to submit an application to your PoP/PoP-SP to deactivate the NPS Tier-I account (that you want to close) and merge the corpuses into NPS Account (that you want to retain).
- If you opened your account through eNPS, you can directly write to CRA (NSDL or Karvy).
When CRA receives your request, the amount in the second NPS account (NPS account that you want to close) will be transferred to the first NPS account (that you want to keep alive) and the second NPS account will be closed.
Your problem is not completely over
Well, things are never that simple.
Be prepared for puzzled looks if you approach a PoP-SP official for deactivation of NPS account. I am not sure if they will be willing to forward a random letter to the CRA.
However, the good part is that the CRA (NSDL or Karvy) are prepared for such requests (at least they don’t think it is criminal to have two NPS accounts).
Therefore, I believe you can bypass PoP-SP and raise a query directly with NSDL on eNPS portal (of course, you need to register on eNPS portal first).
You can simply raise grievance/enquiry on eNPS portal. In this case, NSDL will be forced to answer and your issue should get resolved fairly soon.
You can also call NSDL CRA at their toll-free number 1800 22 2080. However, be prepared for a number of confusing answers. For instance, I was initially told that the subscriber needs to close the first account by withdrawing from the second NPS account. Only when I countered that the NPS account can’t be closed before 10 years, did I get the correct answer.
Here are the latest NSDL CRA contact details: https://npscra.nsdl.co.in/contact-us.php
You can access Grievance Redressal Policy for CRA under NPS here.
107 thoughts on “What to do if you have two NPS accounts? How to close the second NPS account?”
Informative article… one irrelivant question to this post but about NPS only –
Can we see article on merits or demerits of opting for Auto-aggressive NPS option? Here are some I could find during my own study (I opted Auto-aggressive) –
Merits:
1) You can gather more units (75% in equity until 35 years and reduce 4% every year) at accumulation phase – more than 50% even you turn 45
2) Increase in G and C debt near retirement
3) More units during initial years will get good return over period. Ex. Active choice allow you 50% and Auto-aggressive 75% (till age of 35). Consider you start at 30 and invest 50,000 per year – below example show you in same fund you can earn more units at less price during intial years and reap you profit when you retire
Age Avg NAV for year Units -Auto-Aggressive Units -Active choice
30 18 2083.33 1388.89
31 22 1704.55 1136.36
32 25 1500.00 1000.00
33 24 1562.50 1041.67
34 27 1388.89 925.93
35 30 1250.00 833.33
4) Bad phase in market during accumulation time could earn more units..
Demerits –
1) If you are risk taking investor, after some age, equity % will reduce to 15% in Auto-aggressive compared to 50% in Active
2) Bad phase during decumulaton phase can give you less return
3) End up buying G and C at higher NAV
4) 50+ is more surplus in hand due to higher income and one who wish to take risk can’t invest more in equity due to mandate (decreasing equity %)
But, not a bad option to go with auto-aggressive and if you still want to take more risk, you can anytime choose Equity mutual funds… Mutual Fund Sahi Hai!!
Hi Sarang,
This is some detailed comment.
Btw, you have an option to switch between Auto and Active choice. You can do that on eNPS portal.
Therefore, if you want greater exposure to equity, you can start with auto-aggressive and shift to active later.
Frankly, for me, 50:50 is good enough.
If you want to increase allocation, you have other ways to invest in equities.
I have considered taking high risk profile (me).. it might not be correct for others. It was just a suggestion for topic – something similar comparison across all risk profiles and NPS choice available.
Will consider. However, I think the post itself might be an overkill.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Sir currently i am working with indian railways.I have nps account there. I have applied for new job without intimating railways.neither i told railways about new job nor i told the new department about my previous job.
Should i give my current pran number to my new department.or i should apply for new pran….plz give me ur valuable suggestion…m very depressed..
Hi Sunny,
Don’t think I can help you with this.
You should have disclosed information about your old employer to your new employer.
You can have only 1 PRAN.
Sunny could you tell me how you resolved the issue as I am currently in the same situation.
Please give your contact no.
Virendra
pls give your contact no.
Give your contact number
give your contact no.
I am in state government job.. before this I was in private company..I have not withdraw my epf..now I don’t want to link my private company pf with my pran that has been allotted to me..how can I do this.plse tell me
Hi Aman,
EPF and NPS are different products.
Your previous employer offered you EPF or NPS?
pls give your contact no. i am in same situation.
Dear sir
I was working in previous I was got pran number but now I have region my post and also I cont take noc. Now I have join new government post shall I continue previous pran number or new one? . How to transfer my pran number in present job?
You can continue with same PRAN.
How it continue plz suggestion
Deepesh sir , If we tell our new employer about the previous pran number . He will ask how did you get the pran number as I have not disclosed that and I was working with some govt organisation earlier so I won’t have an answer to his question. I don’t want to disclose about my past employer as joining a new government employer via proper channel requires noc from previous employer which is very difficult to get .so people resign and join without noc . Now this nps is blocking us from joining a new organisation. I want to ask whether a new nps account can be created if I don’t disclose my previous pran or nsdl has some mechanism to restrict the creation of multiple nps accounts using our pan or any other id? Sir please throw some light on this and if I link the same pran can in my new organisation . Will they know where I have worked in the past.
I asked this to nps cra call centre they told new employer will get to know about previous employer. Havei got solution ? plz tell i m also in same problem.
Have got any solution?
same problem.. reply
Dear sir
I have no pan card can have
Apply pran number .
Sir I have already open apy account in post office, now I get an service in central government. Sir if department open NPS account can any problem for me … BECAUSE there two pran no one for apy and one for NPS. Pl sir give me advice
Sir currently i am working with indian railways.I have nps account there. I have applied for new job without intimating railways.neither i told railways about new job nor i told the new department about my previous job.
Should i give my current pran number to my new department.or i should apply for new pran.sir please help me
Raj,
You can have just 1 PRAN.
What did you do?
Dear Sir,
Sir i was worked 2 years with Government education department in schools, due to some reasons i got suspended. i have nps account there. I have PRAN also in my old job transferred some to amount to my PRAN. I have applied for new job without intimating and without NOC from Education Department. then i got selected in 10th rank and joined in another government department without informing about my old employment. I don’t want to use my old PRAN or I don’t want reveal about my old PRAN to new employer. now i wanted to apply for a new PRAN. is CRA or NSDL will issue another PRAN CARD? what shall i do? pls suggest. thanking you.
Dear Vinay,
You can’t have two PRAN.
If you open a second PRAN by mistake, you can merge the two NPS accounts.
Sir it means 2 nps accounts are possible for 1 person
Can two NPS accounts be created?
No
Sir your Contact number i have same problem
Hi Vijay.. How did u manage ? Please reply
same problem Vinay Sir. pls suggest
pls suggest me
I too have almost same problem what sdid you do
Earlier I was working in State Govt. job and now I am working in Central Govt. Job. Earlier State govt. was having pPan and central govt. has pRan. Thus, I have two NPS accounts. now, the state govt. NPS is also named same as PRAN. Now, What should I do? If, I need to merger then how i can proceed?
Hi Amit,
I have given the details in the post.
You will have to approach CRa.
Sir. Mai 2004 se fabruary 2013 tak crpf ki job me tha fab 2013 me maine resign kiya tha waha mera waha par mera nps ac tha ..
April 2013 se maine mp govt ki job start kiya hu. Yaha par bhi mera new nps account open ho gya hai.. mere dono nps account active hai..
Sir kya mera old nps account ko new ac me merge ho sakta hai.
Mujhe kya karna hoga..
Please guide kariye.. thanks
gajendra sir same problem.. pls suggest or give contact no.
Does Atal Pension Yojana has a separate PRAN number. In this case – NPS has one PRAN number and APY has another
This is a mess. I don’t have an answer.
In my opinion, one should be allowed to have both NPS and APY.
However, NSDL says its not a problem.
please check with them to get a crisp answer.
You received any answer @Rasjesh
Sir me pehle railway me service me tha.. mene Nina noc state govt. Join me Diya that. An nana that nps k liye apply Kiya h but me Abhi wapis railway me jana Chanta hu. To sir mera pran number create hone we pehle pran form cancel karwau to kese karwau. Plz help me sir..
Hi deepesh sir,
I was working in Railway as a JE and opened NPS account only 2 months back. I have now got a job in WB state govt and got noc from railway too. But railway is not releasing me citing some service bond issue. If I join state govt job without releasing letter, will I be able to transfer my nps from railway to state govt using ISS form-1. Do I need to take sign from railway officer to transfer my nps. In ISS form -1 I haven’t seen any place for the sign of previous employer. Please suggest and advise. Thank you
Hi Viswajit,
In my opinion, you will be able to transfer NPS to the new employer.
Go ahead with the process.
But sir, the original NPS kit and PRAN card is not yet delivered to me by railway. Can I transfer without physical kit? Please enlighten sir.
Regards,
Viswajit
Sir I have two pran card firstly I opened when I got first job but I region and start second job than I got second pran card how will closed one card
Sir contact no. Milega apka
Yr num plzzz same prnlm
kiran maam pls reply or giv contact no. as i have the same problem
Please tell me how did u close it.
I WAS A RAILWAY EMPLOYEE PERFORMED 10 YEARS SERVICE AND HAVE A PRAN .BUT NOW I JOINED STATE GOVT SERVICE NEITHER INTIMATING RAILWAY NOR STATE GOVT. CAN I ISSUE ANOTHER PRAN TO PERFORM JOB IN STATE GOVT WITHOUT RUNNING FORMER PRAN.
You have to get the same PRAN transferred.
Sir, if I shift from railway to state govt, do I need any signature or approval from railway authority.
Deepesh sir , If we tell our new employer about the previous pran number . He will ask how did you get the pran number as I have not disclosed that I was working with some govt organisation earlier so I won’t have an answer to his question. I don’t want to disclose about my past employer as joining a new government employer via proper channel requires noc from previous employer which is very difficult to get .so people resign and join without noc . Now this nps is blocking us from joining a new organisation. I want to ask whether a new nps account can be created if I don’t disclose my previous pran or nsdl has some mechanism to restrict the creation of multiple nps accounts for 1 user using our pan or any other id? Sir please throw some light on this and if I link the same pran in my new organisation . Will they know where I have worked in the past.
brother whats your number.. I have a same problem….but i found my solution.
Please tell me also…i have the same problem.
Yr num plzzz same prnlm
solution kya mila btane ka kasht kre
Please tell me the solution for this.
Sir I have same problem, please share the solution
Brother, I have same problem. Please share the solution
Urgent
Hii….Please help me as i have the same problem. My whatsapp no. is . Please also give your no.
Hi Gurvinder, can you tell me the solution. I will give you my number. It’s urgent.
pls tell me solution brother as i have the same problem
Sir I want to know it is possible to open a new nps tier1 account after deactivation of previous nps tier 1 account in goverment sector
If you have closed the account, you can open a new one.
accidentally opened two nps account. One by me enps and other is opened by ddo. I have been alloted two pran. But ddo pran’s kit not received. I call to nsdl cra. They said your ddo pran is in active mode. I want to continue my ddo pran and close enps. What will i do now?????
Deepesh sir please Reply
Deepesh sir, I had one NPS account in railway. There was a bond of 5 years and i have broken that bond. I have joined in a state govt now, the new organisation know about my previous employment in railway and they don’t have any issue. Can I shift my old nps account from railway to state govt without any approval from railway. I think I can’t open anymore NPS account. So what is the way out, please help.
Sir currently i am working with indian railways.I have nps account there. I have applied for new job without intimating railways.neither i told railways about new job nor i told the new department about my previous job.
Should i give my current pran number to my new department.or i should apply for new pran.sir please help me
Brother,,if you got any sollution please share with me..i am facing same problem..
is there any solution..?
Hi.. Same here
No need to apply new one
Sir i am state govt. Employee my PRAN start with 40 digit from karvy CRA but official need with start of digit 11 for govt employee in my state how to deactivate from Karvy CRA and shifted to NSDL CRA… Plz help
Same problem with me what u have done to pran which starts from 4 to deactivate
Dear Deepesh,
Reading your above article, I have applied to stop my PRAN card (1st one). I have received below response from them –
My question :-
Sir/Madam,
I wish to you inform you that, presently I am having 2 NPS account with 2 separate PRAN card details. Now, I would like to close my 1st NPS account having PRAN card no. 5000619XXXXX and transfer its entire deposited amount to my second NPS account having PRAN card no. 1101424XXXXX.
Please help me and kindly do the needful at the earliest.
With regards,
Anirban Saha
Answer from CRA team:-
Dear Subscriber,
We wish to inform you that to transfer your corpus from NPS-Lite PRAN to regular NPS PRAN, you need to send written application mentioning both the PRANs to CRA through the Aggregator for transferring of NPS-Lite corpus, at below mentioned address:-NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Ltd.Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA)Times Tower, 1st Floor,Kamla Mills Compound,Senapati Bapat Marg,Lower ParelMumbai – 400012.
We thank you for being our valuable Subscriber.
Now please tell me how I will apply.
1. Will I apply at the Bank (Canara bank where I had opened my NPS – Lite account) ?
I live in another city and my bank is in another town
if yes,
2. Do I need bank integration?
3. What will be application format?
Please guide me. My email id is – anirbansaha2004@gmail.com
Regards,
Anirban
Sir go to your treasury office and say them to write a letter on their letter head to NSDL CRA under
Sub:- merge my nps account
Sir mai government servant hu. Mai service chhorna chahta hu..mere nps acount open hai..service chhorne ke baad ye close ho jaenge to kya again dusra open kr sakte hai?
I accidentally opened two nps account. One by me enps and other is opened by ddo. I have been alloted two pran. But ddo pran’s kit not received. I call to nsdl cra. They said your ddo pran is in active mode. I want to continue my ddo pran and close enps. What will i do now?????
Sir Recently i opted for Nps through SBI net Banking the pop Sb number was not at all available in my list… I my working sector it was opted as public instead of Private now i want to make changes in it how it can be done..
In my opinion, it does not matter whether you select public or private company.
If you want to change, contact your CRA (NSDL or Karvy)
Please sir suggest me
I accidentally opened two nps account. One by me by enps and other is opened by ddo. I have been alloted two pran. But ddo pran’s kit not received. I call to nsdl cra. They said your ddo pran is inactive mode. I want to continue my ddo pran and close enps. What will i do now?????
Reply
Please sir suggest me
I accidentally opened two nps account. One by me by enps and other is opened by ddo. I have been alloted two pran. But ddo pran’s kit not received. I call to nsdl cra. They said your ddo pran is inactive mode. I want to continue my ddo pran and close enps. What will i do now?????
Reply
I have two prans.
CRA reply
Dear Subscriber, we wish to inform you that we have verified our records and it has been observed that two PRANs have been generated for the same Subscriber. Further, scrutiny of these cases revealed that two registration requests were received by CRA-FC for the same subscriber thereby generating two PRANs. The details of these cases are given below:SR PRAN Status1] 110183574465 Inactive2] 110173222074 ActivatedFurther, As you want to continue with your first PRAN and deactivate the other PRAN. The contributions in your deactivate PRAN will be shifted to the first PRAN.In view of this, you need to forward/fax the written request (Duly signed/physical letter) from mapped nodal office on the letter head mentioning the details of the PRAN 110173222074 to be deactivated and the PRAN 110183574465 to be continued
Please tell anybody about nodal office? Who is the nodal officer?
Hi Parveen How did u manage this.. I need help from u. Please reply.
Pls reply
Hi…did u disclose to CRA that u have two PRAN cards?
Please tell me how did u close the other nps account.
How to merge two PRANs issued by different CRA. I have got two PRANs, one at NSDL and other at Karvy. Now who to contact?
i have same problem pls give contact details
Dear sir,
I was a central govt employee 3 yeras ago..there was a nps account and pran card..
I had resigned the job for some issue..
Now aftr 3 years i have qualify another central govt job..will here a new nps acoount be created??
No, u can shift your pran in new department
Can i deactivate my nps account???
No need to deactivate
Sir I worked in central govt .but I left the job due to my family problem.I don’t have any resignation certificate…but there was my NPS account..and pran card..
I have changed my NPS account to all India citizen model…
Now my question is if I am select in new central govt job , will there any problem regarding pran card??
I also left my central govt job without proper resignation and now working self independent…Pls help me how to change my NPS account from Central govt to all india citizen sector….my phone 7002839926..pls pls guide me
bhai shift krane ka procedure btao
pls reply as i have same problem
Sir,
I am doing private job. I have opened personally two NPS account, one from Karvy and another from nsdl. As per rule that one person can not open two accounts in NPS. Now I have two questions-
1. Can I change account name from me to my spouse name??
2. Can I merge my nps account from karvy nps account to nsdl nps account or nsdl to karvy.
What is the procedure of name change or merge account..
Pradeep kumar
9417803929
Maine APY AND NPS DONO main account khol rakha hi. Kya main dono account chalu rakh sakta hun. Do account hone se koi problem to nahi hogi
Hi,
I am a Tamilnadu Govt. Employee. They deduct CPS from my salary.
I don’t know whether the CPS is going into NPS scheme or state-wise pension scheme.
So My doubt is can i create a new PRAN account and start saving separately ?
Am i Unknowingly creating a second PRAN account, because all the data i have read does not give any details what my state is actually doing with the money, So please guide me on this one.
Sir, please tell me how to deactivate PRAN number.
Sir, I have worked in CG state government in Police Department from 2010 to 2011, I then resigned for higher education. I secured a position in Indian Railways in 2019, I want to shift by PRAN number to Railways. Will it be possible without intervention from my previous department. As I have acceptance of Resignation and NOC from previous department. If yes, please enlighten the procedure to do so.
Sir, presently i was working in state government and am an NPS subscriber under Contributory Pension Scheme. Now can i join for Atal Pension Yojana Scheme. Will it cause any trouble for me at retirement by having both NPS and APY? My age is 30years.
Sir i got a state government job in Assam September 2020..I created a nps account for that….
Now last Month i have got a better state government job ..now i again created nps account witg same PAN card..
Sir now there will be any problem???
Hi, I have an NPS account through ETMoney, can I make SIP payments directly through my PRAN account instead of the app? The ETMoney app is charging extra for the same transaction. Also, will the app take a part of the NPS on maturity?
I have updated current date as my retirement date, Now i am not able to contribute, as i am getting message that i can not contribute after retirement date.
what are my options here . how can i update my retirement date.
Can i open a new NPS account as i have not contributed in this account.
Please help