AP CPS to OPS G.O.Ms.No.158: Conversion Guidelines

 

The Andhra Pradesh Government has issued G.O.Ms.No.158 (Finance Department) outlining comprehensive implementation guidelines for eligible employees shifting from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) under G.O.Ms.No.53.

Key Highlights & Guidelines of G.O.Ms.No.158

• Last Date to Apply: Eligible serving, retired employees, or family pension beneficiaries must exercise their one-time OPS option on or before December 31, 2026.

• Application Platform: Applications must be submitted online through the NIDHI portal using the dedicated "CPS-OPS Conversion" tile.

• Core Eligibility: Applies to employees whose recruitment notifications/advertisements were issued prior to September 1, 2004, but whose appointments/joining took place on or after September 1, 2004, and who are currently under CPS.

Mandatory Supporting Records

Applicants must obtain certified copies of four key documents from their Initial Appointing Authority (IAA):

1. Recruitment notification or advertisement for the initial appointment.

2. Selection list communicated by the recruitment agency.

3. Initial appointment order issued by the IAA.

4. Order admitting the employee to duty against that appointment.

(Note: Use Annexure II-A for serving, retired, or resigned employees, and Annexure II-B for family members of deceased employees.)

Verification and Processing Timelines

Stage / Action	Timeline under G.O. 158
IAA Issuance of Certified Copies	Within 15 working days of receiving the request
IAA Confirmation on NIDHI Portal	Within 7 days of receiving application from the DDO
DDO Processing of Authenticated Applications	Within 10 working days after receiving IAA confirmation

Handling of CPS Corpus upon Conversion

• Serving Employees: Employee contributions are transferred from PRAN to GPF (recalculated with applicable GPF interest after excluding prior partial withdrawals). Government contributions and investment appreciation are remitted to government accounts (no cash payout).

• Retirees (Yet to draw benefits): Government contribution and returns go back to the government; the employee contribution and its appreciation are disbursed to the retiree.

• Retirees (Already drew benefits): Government contribution and returns must be remitted back to the government account before OPS migration and settlement are completed by the DTA.