Overview

• The government is considering relaxing EPFO withdrawal rules to give members more flexibility for needs such as housing, marriage and education, according to multiple reports.
• Two senior officials, speaking anonymously, said the reforms under discussion could be implemented within roughly a year.
• One proposal reported by Moneycontrol would allow members to make full or partial withdrawals once every 10 years.
• Current regulations permit full withdrawal only at age 58 or after two months of unemployment, with limited, condition-based partial withdrawals.
• Finance and legal experts welcome simpler access for low- and middle-income workers but urge safeguards to preserve the fund’s retirement purpose.