More than 20 lakh defence pensioners have successfully submitted their Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) under the Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5.0, marking a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to simplify pension-related services through digital technology.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on November 12, 2026, a total of 20.48 lakh defence pensioners had submitted their Digital Life Certificates as of November 11. The Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), under the Ministry of Defence, is leading the initiative as part of the month-long nationwide campaign running from November 1 to November 30, 2026.
The campaign is coordinated by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW), under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Defence pensioners have recorded the highest contribution among all participating departments in the ongoing campaign.
What Is Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5.0?
A Digital Life Certificate is an electronic document used by pensioners to verify that they are alive and remain eligible to receive their pension. Pensioners are generally required to submit a life certificate annually to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of their pension payments.
The Jeevan Pramaan platform enables pensioners to complete this verification digitally instead of relying entirely on physical submission at banks or pension offices.
Through Campaign 5.0, the government aims to make this annual identification process more accessible, particularly for elderly, super-senior and differently-abled pensioners who may face difficulties travelling to government offices or bank branches.
The initiative focuses on technology-enabled services, physical assistance centres and nationwide outreach programmes to reduce procedural difficulties for pensioners and their families.
Face Authentication Accounts for More Than 80% of Submissions
One of the major features of Campaign 5.0 is the promotion of Aadhaar-based Face Authentication Technology through the Jeevan Pramaan portal and mobile application.
According to the Ministry of Defence, more than 80% of the Digital Life Certificates submitted during the campaign have been generated using Face ID authentication.
The technology allows pensioners to verify their identity through a smartphone camera without requiring an external fingerprint or iris-scanning device. This is particularly useful for elderly pensioners who may experience difficulties with fingerprint recognition due to age-related biometric changes.
The system also allows pensioners to complete the verification process from their homes, reducing the need for physical visits to banks and defence offices.
Nationwide Network Established to Assist Pensioners
To ensure that pensioners across different regions can access the facility, the Defence Accounts Department has established an extensive support network.
According to the official release, the department has mobilised:
194 SPARSH Service Centres (SSCs): These centres are equipped to help pensioners generate Digital Life Certificates and access services available through the SPARSH platform.
4.63 lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs): These centres provide assistance with digital certificate generation.
13 partner banks and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB): These institutions are supporting pensioners with the submission process.
29 nodal officers: Appointed to coordinate and facilitate the campaign.
Around 80 outreach programmes: Being organised across the country to provide direct assistance to pensioners.
Additionally, a Mega Digital Life Certificate Camp is scheduled to take place in Kochi on November 23, 2026. The camp will provide on-the-spot assistance to pensioners in generating their certificates.
Campaign Builds on Previous Digital Pension Initiatives
The ongoing campaign follows the achievements of the previous Digital Life Certificate drive.
During Nationwide DLC Campaign 4.0 in November 2025, the Defence Accounts Department generated more than 20.94 lakh Digital Life Certificates through its network of SPARSH Service Centres, Common Service Centres and partner banks.
The department has also expanded its SPARSH outreach activities. As of October 2026, approximately 35.11 lakh defence pensioners had been onboarded onto the SPARSH platform.
According to the Ministry, the department has organised 301 SPARSH outreach programmes and 204 Raksha Pension Samadhan Aayojans, through which more than 8,000 grievances were resolved on the spot.
Campaign to Continue Until November 30
The Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5.0 will continue until November 30, 2026, with the objective of ensuring wider participation among defence pensioners and family pensioners.
The Defence Accounts Department has encouraged eligible beneficiaries to visit their nearest SPARSH Service Centre, participating bank or outreach camp to complete their annual life certificate submission.
The initiative operates under the department’s guiding principle of ‘Right Pension to the Right Pensioner at the Right Time’.
With digital authentication, physical assistance centres and nationwide outreach programmes, Campaign 5.0 aims to reduce administrative difficulties and make pension-related services more accessible, particularly for senior citizens and differently-abled veterans.
The latest figures indicate growing adoption of digital pension services among defence beneficiaries. However, the campaign’s final performance will become clearer after its scheduled conclusion on November 30.
