How to register on E-Shram (unorganised worker UAN card)

As of March 2026, 30.8 crore unorganised workers are registered on E-Shram (Ministry of Labour dashboard) — about 94% of India's estimated 32.7 crore unorganised workforce. PMSBY claims linked to E-Shram registrations have crossed ₹6,400 crore disbursed since 2021. Domestic workers, agricultural labour, and construction workers form the three largest occupation buckets.

The Code on Social Security, 2020 (Act No. 36 of 2020) — one of the four labour codes — for the first time gave the Central Government statutory power to build a database of unorganised workers (§141 establishment of social security funds, §142 Aadhaar-based registration). The Ministry of Labour & Employment notified the E-Shram portal in August 2021 as the operational vehicle for §142.

The portal is run by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for the Ministry of Labour. Data is shared (with consent) with State Labour Departments, Welfare Boards, and other Ministries (Rural Development for MGNREGA, Skill Development for skilling schemes, etc.).

You are eligible to register on E-Shram if all are true:

• Age between 16 and 59 years.
• You are an unorganised worker — i.e., you are not covered by:
  • EPF / EPS (Employees' Provident Fund / Pension Scheme) — applies to factories with 20+ workers, etc.
  • ESIC (Employees' State Insurance) — applies to most factories paying salary up to ₹21,000/month.
  • Central or state government service (regular employee).
• You are not an income tax payer (don't file ITR with taxable income; NIL ITR for refund is fine).

The list of eligible occupations is non-exhaustive but includes: agricultural labour and marginal farmers (< 2 ha); construction workers (also under BOCW); domestic workers (Sushila's case); street vendors and hawkers; gig and platform workers (Zomato, Swiggy, Urban Company, Ola, Uber, Rapido, Amazon Flex, BigBasket); self-employed micro-entrepreneurs (tailor, barber, mobile repair, sub-GST kirana); ASHA / Anganwadi workers, beedi workers, mid-day-meal workers; fishermen, weavers, sericulture, salt workers; head loaders, rickshaw pullers, non-commercial auto drivers; MGNREGA workers; migrant labour, brick kiln workers; newspaper hawkers, leather workers, sanitation workers without regular employment.

• Self-check the four eligibility criteria above. The biggest exclusion is being on EPF or ESIC — if your employer deducts PF or ESI from your salary, you are NOT eligible.
• Confirm your Aadhaar is linked to an active mobile number — required for OTP. SMS test, or check at myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in.
• If mobile is wrong/inactive, update at any Aadhaar Seva Kendra (₹50, 7-day SLA).

• Aadhaar card (number + linked mobile).
• Bank passbook (account number + IFSC; Aadhaar-seeded account preferred for DBT).
• Mobile — for OTP and future SMS.
• Occupation in mind — be ready to pick one principal occupation from the dropdown list (NCO 2015 codes — 7-digit National Classification of Occupations).
• Skill — sub-skill within the occupation (e.g., domestic worker → cleaning / cooking / both).
• Education — class up to which studied (drop-out is fine).
• Nominee — name + Aadhaar (preferred) + relationship.

1. Open https://eshram.gov.in in any browser (works on mobile).
2. Click “Register on E-Shram” → “Self Registration”.
3. Enter your Aadhaar-linked mobile number + captcha → “Send OTP”.
4. Enter OTP → consent for Aadhaar fetch → another OTP from UIDAI on your Aadhaar mobile.
5. Personal details auto-pulled from Aadhaar (name, gender, DOB, address, photo).
6. Add mother's name, marital status, social category (Gen / SC / ST / OBC), religion, education, physically handicapped status.
7. Occupation & skill — pick from dropdown.
8. Bank account — number + IFSC + branch.
9. Nominee — name + relationship + Aadhaar.
10. Self-declaration that you are not on EPF/ESIC and not an IT payer.
11. Submit → 12-digit UAN generated instantly.
12. E-Shram card PDF downloadable; print on plain A4 — that is your card. (Some states later send laminated cards by post.)

(Best route for those who are not comfortable with smartphones.)

1. Visit any CSC center — there are 5+ lakh CSCs across India; locate via https://locator.csccloud.in.
2. Carry Aadhaar + bank passbook + mobile.
3. The operator does the same form on his/her terminal — Aadhaar OTP, occupation, bank, nominee.
4. CSC fee for E-Shram is NIL — the Ministry of Labour pays the CSC ₹20/registration. Some operators try to charge ₹50-100 — refuse, complain to CSC supervisor.
5. UAN generated; printed E-Shram card handed over.

• Once registered, you are auto-enrolled in Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) — accidental death / total permanent disability cover of ₹2 lakh, partial permanent disability cover of ₹1 lakh.
• Premium for the first year is paid by the Ministry of Labour — free for the worker.
• From year 2 onwards, the standard PMSBY premium of ₹20 per year is auto-debited from your Aadhaar-linked bank account if you opt to continue (consent collected at registration).
• PM-JJBY (Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana — ₹2 lakh life cover, age 18-50, premium ₹436/year) — opt-in separately at the bank where your Aadhaar account sits; takes one form.

• Login at eshram.gov.in with UAN + Aadhaar OTP → “Update Profile”.
• Change occupation if you switch jobs (e.g., Sushila's son could update from “delivery rider” to “fixed-shop salesman” if he changes work).
• Update bank account if you change banks.
• Update nominee on marriage / death.

• On accidental injury / death within the policy year:
  • Nominee (or worker if disability) takes: E-Shram card, Aadhaar, bank passbook, FIR/MLC, hospital records, Disability Certificate from a Govt Medical Board (for partial permanent), death certificate (for death claim).
  • Submit PMSBY Claim Form at the bank branch where the policy is anchored (the worker's E-Shram-linked bank).
  • Bank forwards to the insurance company (United India / New India / Oriental — pool insurer).
  • Claim disbursed in 30-60 days to the nominee/worker bank account.

• E-Shram registration is valid for life (no annual renewal).
• However, PMSBY auto-renewal is annual — keep the linked bank balance > ₹20 in May-June every year (premium debit window).
• The portal regularly adds new linked schemes (Skill development, e-Shram-Skill Council, Jan Aushadhi access, state welfare top-ups). Login once a quarter to check.
• From mid-2025, a new gig and platform worker social security scheme (¶ 113 of Code on Social Security 2020) is being rolled out — currently in pilot in 5 states with 1-2% aggregator contribution; track via E-Shram dashboard.

+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| E-Shram registration fee          | NIL — completely free                |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| CSC registration charge           | NIL (operator gets ₹20 from MoLE)    |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Print of E-Shram card             | Self-print free; CSC ₹10-20          |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| UAN format                        | 12 digits, life-long                 |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Eligibility age range             | 16 to 59 years                       |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PMSBY accidental death / TPD      | ₹2 lakh                              |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PMSBY partial permanent disability| ₹1 lakh                              |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PMSBY premium year 1              | NIL (paid by Ministry of Labour)     |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PMSBY premium year 2 onwards      | ₹20 per year                         |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| PM-JJBY life cover (opt-in)       | ₹2 lakh, ₹436 / year, age 18-50      |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| E-Shram helpline (toll-free)      | 14434 (8 am – 8 pm, multi-lingual)   |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| CSC helpline                      | 1800-3000-3468                       |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Mobile update at Aadhaar Kendra   | ₹50 (7-day SLA)                      |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| RTI to PIO MoLE / Labour Comm.    | ₹10 by IPO. BPL = free.              |
+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

• Aadhaar mobile not registered or inactive — OTP fails. Most common reason. Fix at Aadhaar Seva Kendra.
• Worker actually on EPF/ESIC — system cross-checks; if a UAN/IP number is found, registration is rejected. Even an old factory stint years ago can show up.
• Worker is an income tax filer — system cross-checks PAN; recent ITR with taxable income > exemption blocks registration. NIL ITR for refund is fine.
• Bank account not Aadhaar-seeded — registration goes through but PMSBY DBT later fails. Always seed first. (See bank-seeding RTI guide.)
• Wrong occupation code — picked “general labourer” instead of “domestic worker” — loses you state domestic-worker welfare board eligibility. Update profile.
• State welfare board not auto-enrolled — MH, KA, TN, KL, DL have their own Domestic / Construction Workers Welfare Boards with richer benefits. Apply separately at State Labour Department.
• PMSBY claim denied — “no permanent disability” — Sushila's son's case. Get a Government Medical Board certificate: 40-100% partial = ₹1L; total PD or death = ₹2L.
• Late PMSBY claim — file within 30 days; condonable to 120 days with reason; beyond — repudiated.
• Premium auto-debit failed in year 2 — low balance in May-June lapses the policy. Re-opt-in at the bank.
• Same Aadhaar registered twice by different CSC operators — second attempt rejected; if two UANs got created, write to helpline to merge.
• Migrant worker moved — old occupation/state no longer accurate. Update via OTP; new state's welfare board can then be applied to.

• Toll-free, 8 am – 8 pm, available in Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Assamese, Odia.
• Best for: registration errors, profile update issues, claim status, PMSBY claim guidance.
• Quote your Aadhaar last 4 digits + UAN.

• If a CSC operator overcharged or registered you wrongly, escalate to the District CSC Manager — phone numbers at https://csc.gov.in.
• CSC central helpline 1800-3000-3468.

• Each state has a Labour Commissionerate with district-level Assistant Labour Commissioners (ALCs).
• For domestic workers, construction workers, etc. — also approach the State Welfare Boards (Maharashtra Domestic Workers Welfare Board, Karnataka Construction Workers Welfare Board, etc.).
• Useful when state-specific schemes are not flowing despite E-Shram registration.

• https://pgportal.gov.in → Ministry of Labour & Employment → sub-category E-Shram / NDUW.
• SLA 30 days; routes to a Director-level officer.

• If the bank says claim was forwarded to the insurance company and it's stuck:
  • United India Insurance — 1800-425-3333.
  • New India Assurance — 1800-209-1415.
  • Oriental Insurance — 1800-118-485.
  • National Insurance — 1800-345-0330.
• If still unresolved in 30 days, Insurance Ombudsman (https://cioins.co.in) — area-wise; free; binding award up to ₹50 lakh.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment, NIC (which runs E-Shram portal), and State Labour Commissioners / Labour Welfare Boards are all public authorities under §2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

RTI helps here when:

• Your PMSBY claim has been pending for > 60 days with no movement — RTI to PIO Ministry of Labour asking for “claim status, file movement, insurer response, expected disbursal date”.
• State welfare board scheme linked to E-Shram (e.g., maternity benefit, scholarship, marriage assistance) is denied/delayed — RTI to PIO at State Labour Commissioner / Welfare Board for “reason for non-disbursal of [scheme name] dated [date] for UAN [number]”.
• The portal wrongly says you are EPF/ESIC enrolled — RTI to PIO MoLE asking for “the basis on which I am classified as EPF/ESIC member; please share the matched UAN/IP number and date of last contribution”.
• Your occupation profile change has not been processed for 30+ days — RTI for “reason for non-update”.
• The CSC operator's transaction record for your registration is needed to prove you registered on a particular date — RTI to PIO Common Service Centres SPV for the transaction log.
• Your death claim as nominee under PMSBY is delayed beyond 60 days — RTI to PIO MoLE + the insurer's grievance officer (insurer is private but the scheme is administered through the public PMSBY pool — at minimum the MoLE PIO can disclose the claim status).
• State scheme inclusion for a category that the state has notified (e.g., gig workers in Karnataka) — RTI for the list of beneficiaries and your inclusion date.

RTI does NOT help here when:

• You are clearly ineligible (currently on EPF, or paying income tax) — RTI will only confirm the ineligibility, not waive it.
• You disagree with the benefit amount (₹2 lakh PMSBY) — that's the scheme cap set by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labour; not appealable.
• Insurance claim repudiation by the insurer for substantive reasons (e.g., the accident happened outside the policy year, or doctor certified < 40% disability) — that's an insurance dispute, take it to Insurance Ombudsman.
• You want ad hoc financial relief outside the schemes — E-Shram is a database that triggers schemes; it doesn't itself disburse cash. RTI to MoLE will only confirm “no scheme of this nature exists”.
• Your employer is misclassifying you as casual when you should be on EPF — that's a separate complaint to the EPFO under the EPF Act, 1952.
• You want professional advice on which insurance to buy beyond PMSBY/PM-JJBY — RTI cannot give financial advice.

Q. I'm 17, apprentice in a workshop. Can I register?
Yes — eligibility starts at 16. Use your own Aadhaar and a minor savings account (parent guardian). PMSBY cover applies from 18; database entry sits in place till then.

Q. I'm a Swiggy delivery partner. EPF or unorganised?
Unorganised. Gig and platform workers are not on EPF/ESIC. Code on Social Security 2020 created a separate gig & platform worker category (§113). From 2025, an aggregator-funded social security fund is rolling out — E-Shram is the eligibility gateway.

Q. My husband is registered. Can I also register if I'm a homemaker?
Only if you do some unorganised work for income — tailoring, tiffin, agarbatti, animal husbandry, kitchen garden sale. Pure homemakers don't qualify; any income work does.

Q. I'm a small farmer with 1 acre. Can I register?
Yes — marginal farmers (< 2 ha) are listed. Pick “Cultivator (own land)” or “Agricultural labourer”. Doesn't conflict with PM-Kisan; both can be drawn.

Q. PMSBY claim rejected — disability certified 35%. What now?
PMSBY partial PD requires ≥ 40%. Get re-evaluation from a Government Medical Board (District Hospital / AIIMS); if 40%+, refile. If genuinely 35%, look to state welfare board or Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY).

Q. Lost my E-Shram card. New one?
Login at eshram.gov.in with UAN + Aadhaar OTP → “Download UAN Card”. Free print on A4. CSC ₹10-20.

Q. I changed occupation from domestic worker to kirana shop owner. Update?
Yes — login → “Update Profile” → change. Affects which schemes you qualify for (PM SVANidhi for shop owners; state welfare board for domestic workers).

Q. What other schemes auto-flow once I'm registered?
Direct: PMSBY. Opt-in: PM-JJBY (₹2L life, ₹436/year), APY (₹1k-5k/month pension from 60). State boards may offer maternity ₹6k-30k, education scholarships, marriage assistance ₹25k-50k.

Q. I'm 60 now. Do my E-Shram benefits stop?
Fresh entry was valid till 59. After 60: PMSBY runs to age 70. Main income-support route after 60 is IGNOAPS — see Old age pension guide.

Q. CSC operator demanded ₹100. Pay?
No — refuse. Registration is free; Ministry pays CSC ₹20 directly. Report to District CSC Manager (csc.gov.in) and helpline 14434. Operator can lose CSC ID for unauthorised charging.

• How to apply for old age pension (IGNOAPS + state) — for life after 60
• RTI for widow / E-Shram benefit not credited — copy-ready template
• RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers
• All Indian government helplines — one master directory
• RTI forms + state-wise fee chart
• All "money & schemes" RTI guides

• e-Shram payment status — ₹1,000/₹3,000 (2026)

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. E-Shram benefits and linked schemes evolve as the Ministry of Labour adds new modules — verify on eshram.gov.in or write to [email protected] if you spot a stale figure.