# EPFO wage ceiling raised to Rs 25,000 from September 2026

2026-09-29T10:11:35+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

The Union Cabinet has increased the EPFO wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, effective September 17, 2026, bringing over 51 lakh additional workers under mandatory EPF, pension and insurance coverage, NDTV Profit reports. For employees earning up to Rs 25,000 as basic pay who were EPF members but not part of the EPS, the employer's contribution will now be split: 8.33% goes to EPS and 3.67% to EPF, the Economic Times explains. Earlier, such employees' full employer contribution went to EPF. The employee's own EPF contribution remains unchanged at 12% of basic pay. For September 2026, contributions will be calculated in two periods covering before and after the effective date. The change affects take-home salary for some employees as employer contributions are reallocated.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Both NDTV Profit and the Economic Times report the same facts with neutral framing, leading on the wage ceiling hike and its effective date. The coverage is uniform straight reporting. The key implication is that employees earning between Rs 15,001 and Rs 25,000 who were EPF-only members will now see employer contributions diverted to the pension scheme, potentially reducing their EPF corpus growth. The government estimates 51 lakh new workers will gain coverage, but existing members may see lower EPF accumulations. The change takes effect in September 2026, giving employers and employees over a year to adjust payroll systems. The tribunal hears the appeal on 12 September.

## Coverage

- ndtvprofit.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtvprofit.com/india/will-your-monthly-take-home-salary-fall-your-pf-deduction-has-changed-from-sept-17-heres-the-mat-12113357>
  Same content as source 1, neutral presentation of the announcement
- ndtvprofit.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtvprofit.com/india/will-your-monthly-take-home-salary-fall-your-pf-deduction-has-changed-from-sept-17-heres-the-mat-12113357#publisher=newsstand>
  Same content as source 1, neutral presentation of the announcement
- economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/invest/epf-eps-rules-under-new-wage-ceiling-earning-rs-20000-and-not-eps-member-know-how-your-employers-pf-contribution-will-change-from-october-2026/articleshow/134563250.cms>
  Focuses on detailed calculation of EPF-EPS split for employees, explanatory

Tags: EPFO, minimum wage, social security, Union Cabinet
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