NEW DELHI, November 8: Pensioners generated nearly 40 lakh Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) in the first five days of the government’s nationwide DLC Campaign 5, about 60% more than the 25 lakh in the same period last year, Minister of State for Personnel Dr Jitendra Singh said. Nearly 80% used face authentication on a mobile phone, up from 61%, he told a press conference in New Delhi.
Key highlights
- First five days: nearly 40 lakh certificates, against about 25 lakh a year earlier.
- Face authentication: up from 61% to nearly 80% of certificates in the same period.
- Last year: 1.92 crore DLCs in total, of which about 1.17 crore used face authentication.
- Reach: camps at nearly 3,000 locations, plus doorstep services for pensioners who cannot travel.
- Pensioners outnumber staff: about 70 lakh central government pensioners against about 50 lakh serving employees, the minister said.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| DLCs in first five days of Campaign 5 | Nearly 40 lakh |
| Same period last year | About 25 lakh |
| Increase | About 60% |
| Share using face authentication | Nearly 80% (from 61%) |
| Total DLCs last year | 1.92 crore |
| Of which by face authentication | About 1.17 crore |
| Campaign locations | Nearly 3,000 |
Why it matters for pensioners
Pensioners must submit a life certificate every year to keep receiving their pension. A Digital Life Certificate can be generated on a mobile phone using Aadhaar-based face authentication, without visiting a bank or office. Dr Singh said the government first relied on paper certificates, then fingerprint biometrics, before face authentication made the process easier for elderly people. For step-by-step help, see our guide on what pensioners should check.
Who is involved
The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare is running the campaign with pension-disbursing banks, the Railways, Defence, Telecommunications and Posts departments, the Ministry of Electronics and IT, UIDAI, state governments and pensioners’ associations. Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma said outreach through WhatsApp, short videos and pensioners’ groups has helped spread awareness. Dr Singh said grandchildren helping grandparents generate certificates had made it “an engaging family experience”.
Our calculation
- About 61% of last year’s 1.92 crore certificates (1.17 crore) used face authentication; this year’s early share is nearly 80%.
- There are now about 1.4 central government pensioners for every serving employee (70 lakh to 50 lakh).
What it means for India and Asia
India’s pensioner population is growing as people live longer, and the shift to phone-based face authentication shows how digital public infrastructure such as Aadhaar can cut paperwork for the elderly. Many Asian countries with ageing populations, from Japan to Thailand, face the same challenge of serving older citizens who find offices hard to reach.
What to watch
- Weekly updates on the number of certificates generated during November.
- Doorstep service coverage for pensioners in remote areas.
- Any problems reported with face authentication, which the department says can be raised with it.
The National Media Centre in New Delhi, where the campaign figures were announced. Image: LittleT889, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
The National Desk covers India's politics, governance, security and public-interest news. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
