Government extends LC75 and Balanced Life Cycle options to central employees under NPS and UPS
The Government approved extending the LC75 and Balanced Life Cycle (BLC) investment options to Central Government employees under both the National Pension System and the Unified Pension Scheme.
Summary
On 24 October 2025, the Finance Ministry announced that the Government had approved extending the LC75 and Balanced Life Cycle (BLC) investment options to Central Government employees under both the National Pension System (NPS) and the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). Employees had asked for the same choices available to non-government subscribers. The full menu is now: the PFRDA-defined default pattern; Scheme G (100% government securities); LC25 and LC50 (up to 25% or 50% equity, tapering from age 35 to 55); BLC (a version of LC50 in which equity starts tapering only at age 45); and LC75 (up to 75% equity, tapering from 35 to 55). By age 55, equity falls to 15% under LC75 and 35% under BLC.
Key facts
- Applies to
- Central Government employees under NPS and UPS
- New options
- LC75 and Balanced Life Cycle (BLC)
- LC75
- Max 75% equity, tapering from age 35 to 55; 15% by 55
- BLC
- Modified LC50; tapering starts at 45; 35% by 55
- Scheme G
- 100% government securities
- Regulator
- PFRDA
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Under the LC75 option extended to Central Government employees in October 2025, the maximum equity allocation is:
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Correct answer: C — 75%
PIB: LC75 allows a maximum equity allocation of 75%, tapering gradually from age 35 to 55 (to 15% by age 55).
Under the Balanced Life Cycle (BLC) option for NPS/UPS subscribers, the equity allocation starts tapering from which age?
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Correct answer: D — 45 years
PIB: BLC is a modified version of LC50, with equity allocation tapering from age 45, letting employees stay in equities longer; equity is 35% by age 55.
Consider the following statements about investment options for Central Government employees (October 2025): 1. LC75 and BLC options have been extended under both NPS and the Unified Pension Scheme. 2. Scheme G invests 100% in Government securities. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. PIB: LC75 and BLC were extended under both NPS and UPS; Scheme G means 100% investment in Government securities.