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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteIndia’s Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 took effect on June 29, 2026, replacing the 1952 Scheme. It groups partial withdrawals into essential needs, housing and special circumstances. For most listed claims, members need 12 months of total membership, and they must retain a defined minimum balance: a claim for “100% of the eligible-member balance” is not permission to empty the entire PF account.
What changed under the 2026 EPF Scheme?
The new Scheme consolidates partial-withdrawal rules in paragraph 46 into three broad categories: essential needs, housing and special circumstances. Earlier announcements described a proposed reform; the notified Scheme took effect on June 29, 2026, according to News On AIR. The 2025 reform announcements said 13 earlier provisions would be consolidated and highlighted higher frequency limits for education and marriage. Those announcements preceded the final rules; the detailed limits below follow paragraph 46 of the Scheme as reproduced by TaxGuru.
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How much PF can you withdraw, and how much must remain?
Paragraph 46 requires the account to retain a minimum balance equivalent to 25% of the member’s aggregate contributions, including employee and employer contributions, plus interest. The Scheme’s “eligible-member balance” is the balance after deducting that minimum. A permitted withdrawal of up to 100% of the eligible-member balance therefore does not mean 100% of the full PF account balance.
The 25% figure is calculated from aggregate contributions and interest under the Scheme; it is not necessarily one quarter of the balance currently displayed in an account. The 2025 PIB summary described partial withdrawals as reaching 75% of PF balance, but the operative calculation in paragraph 46 is based on the defined minimum-balance and eligible-balance terms. The detailed rule is reproduced at TaxGuru’s text of the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 2026.
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Partial-withdrawal limits by purpose
| Category | Qualifying purpose | Membership threshold | Amount and frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illness | Illness affecting the member or family | 12 months of total membership | Up to the eligible-member balance; no separate frequency cap is stated in the reproduced rule |
| Education | Education of the member or family | 12 months of total membership | Up to the eligible-member balance; up to 10 withdrawals during membership |
| Marriage | Marriage of the member or family | 12 months of total membership | Up to the eligible-member balance; up to five withdrawals during membership |
| Housing | Purchase of a flat or house; purchase of a site for construction; construction; repayment of a qualifying home loan; or additions, alterations, renovations or improvements to an existing house or flat | 12 months of total membership | Up to the eligible-member balance; up to five withdrawals |
| Special circumstances | Qualifying circumstances under the Scheme; the reproduced excerpt does not enumerate every qualifying circumstance | 12 months of total membership | Up to the eligible-member balance; no more than twice per financial year |
All figures and conditions in this table are from paragraph 46 of the Scheme as reproduced by TaxGuru. A partial withdrawal must be at least ₹1,000. The special-circumstances category should not be read as making every emergency eligible.
How the 12-month membership test works
The listed partial-withdrawal purposes generally require 12 months of total membership. Paragraph 47 includes qualifying earlier membership and service, including membership in specified exempted or private provident funds, if the member has not severed membership by withdrawing the fund. This can matter when calculating whether the 12-month threshold has been met.
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The reproduced rules also provide separately for members exiting employment before completing 12 months. That is a distinct provision; it should not be treated as a general waiver of the threshold for the listed purposes. Check the Scheme text and EPFO’s current guidance for the circumstances that apply to a particular claim.
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Paragraph 49 separately governs withdrawal of the full amount standing to a member’s credit. Listed cases include retirement after age 55, retirement due to permanent and total incapacity for work, permanent migration from India or departure for employment abroad, retrenchment, and certain other situations specified in the Scheme. These full-settlement provisions are separate from paragraph 46’s minimum-balance rule for partial claims.
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How to apply and receive an approved payment
The Scheme says a member applies through the designated portal. If a partial-withdrawal claim is approved, the reproduced text says the member may opt to have the payment deposited into a bank account or a post office.
Current claim-screen labels, identity checks, document requirements and processing times are not established by the Scheme text reproduced here. Before filing, use EPFO’s current official portal and instructions to confirm the live process and the evidence required for the specific purpose. Do not assume that a past portal workflow or a general online checklist is still current.
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What to check before submitting a claim
- Identify the paragraph 46 purpose that matches the claim; a general financial need does not automatically qualify.
- Check total membership, including eligible prior membership, and confirm that it has not been severed by withdrawing the fund.
- Work from the eligible-member balance after accounting for the required minimum, rather than assuming the whole displayed PF balance is withdrawable.
- Count prior claims against the category’s frequency limit, especially education, marriage, housing and special circumstances.
- Confirm the current EPFO portal instructions for the claim before submitting it.
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