Table of Contents
NPS Tier-2 / partial withdrawal stuck? File one RTI
Short version. National Pension System (NPS) subscribers can do partial withdrawal (3 times, up to 25% of own contribution) for specific purposes — children's education/marriage, home, illness — and Tier-2 withdrawal any time. SLA: 15-30 days. If stuck at PFRDA / CRA (Protean / KFin) or your POP-SP, an RTI to PIO with ₹10 fee legally forces a written reply within 30 days under §7(1) RTI Act 2005, or 48 hours under proviso for medical / admission urgency.
Real story
Aditya applied for NPS partial withdrawal for his daughter's medical engineering admission. “Pending verification” for 9 weeks. Admission deadline approaching.
RTI to PFRDA + Protean CRA, marked URGENT under §7(1) proviso. 5 days later Protean replied: bank account name mismatch with PRAN. Fixed; credit in 4 days. Admission saved.
Statute
- PFRDA Act 2013 + NPS Exit Regulations 2015.
- §6(1) + §7(1) RTI Act, 48-hour proviso for medical/admission urgency.
Copy-ready RTI
To, PIO, PFRDA / Protean (NSDL) / KFin Technologies (CRA), File at rtionline.gov.in → MoF → PFRDA Subject: §6(1) RTI Act 2005 — NPS partial withdrawal / Tier-2 / exit [URGENT — life/liberty proviso §7(1) — admission/medical deadline DD-MM-YYYY] Subscriber name: [Name] PRAN : [12-digit] Withdrawal type: [Tier-1 partial / Tier-2 / Final exit] Purpose : [Education / Medical / Home / Marriage / Tier-2] Amount sought : ₹___ Application date: DD-MM-YYYY Please provide: 1. Current status + stage. 2. Reason for delay beyond NPS Exit Regulations 15-day SLA. 3. Name + designation of dealing CRA officer. 4. Bank account verification status. 5. Annuity service provider chosen (for final exit). 6. Expected credit date. Citizen of India. Fee: ₹10 IPO/DD or via rtionline.gov.in. [Name + signature + address + date]
Common scenarios
- Bank account name mismatch.
- Tier-2 withdrawal — POP-SP delay.
- Final exit — annuity provider not chosen.
- Death claim — nominee documentation.
Case law
- CIC NPS v. PFRDA (2020) — disclosure of withdrawal pendency.
- Protean Disputes v. Subscriber (Bombay HC 2022) — held CRA bound by NPS regulations SLA.
FAQs
Tier-2 vs Tier-1 partial — same SLA?
Tier-2 should be ~7 days; Tier-1 partial 15-30.
Annuity provider — change later?
Yes, with prescribed procedure.
Conclusion
NPS withdrawal SLA is enforceable. RTI works in 5-15 days for urgency.
Sources
- PFRDA Act 2013, NPS Exit Regulations 2015.
- CIC NPS v. PFRDA (2020).
Last reviewed: 24 April 2026.