Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sanctioned benefits under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for eligible officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service who opted to switch from the New Pension Scheme (NPS).
According to Government Order No. 1794-JK(GAD) of 2026, dated November 13, the General Administration Department has accorded sanction for granting benefits under the Defined Pension Scheme, commonly known as the Old Pension Scheme, to the eligible officers listed in Annexure-A of the order.
The decision follows Government Order No. 305-F of 2026, dated September 28, and the options exercised by eligible officers seeking to switch from the New Pension Scheme to the Old Pension Scheme.
The order states that the switch-over is in accordance with the provisions of SRO-400 dated December 24, 2009, under which the New Pension Scheme was introduced. It further specifies that the regularisation of services of the concerned officers under the Old Pension Scheme will be governed strictly by the guidelines notified by the Finance Department through Government Order No. 305-F of 2026.
The order was issued by the General Administration Department with the approval of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and signed by M. Raju, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government.
The Old Pension Scheme provides a defined pension linked to the last drawn salary, while the New Pension Scheme, introduced for those joining government service after 2009 in the Union Territory, is a contribution-based system whose payout depends on market returns. The difference between the two has been a major issue for employees’ organisations across the country, many of whom have demanded a return to the old system.
The order applies only to the officers listed in Annexure-A, and the information available does not give the number of officers covered or the financial implications. It also does not say whether similar relief is planned for other categories of employees, a question that employee unions are likely to raise. The reference to Finance Department guidelines indicates that the process of switching is regulated by detailed conditions, which the officers concerned will have to satisfy.
Employees’ groups across Jammu and Kashmir have for years sought parity between those covered by the two schemes, and a decision for one service may encourage similar demands from other cadres. The government has not announced any wider policy in the order.
For the officers concerned, the sanction brings clarity on their pension entitlements, and the matter is now one of implementation by the departments responsible for payments and service records.
