Digital Life Certificate Campaign 2026: Government Launches Largest-Ever Nationwide Pensioners’ Support Drive Across 2,000 Cities — Face Authentication, Doorstep Services and Health Check-ups for Senior Citizens — PIB (October 30, 2026)
Article Updated: November 4, 2026 · Campaign runs November 1 to 30, 2026
The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare is running its fifth Digital Life Certificate campaign in 2,000 cities and districts this month, with face authentication, camps and doorstep services.
This guide covers the announcement, the targets, the services on offer, what pensioners can do and what is still unknown.
1. What the government announced
The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) announced on October 30, 2026 that it will conduct the fifth nationwide Digital Life Certificate (DLC) campaign from November 1 to 30. The guidelines were notified through an office memorandum dated August 13, 2026. The government describes it as the biggest DLC campaign so far, using a whole-of-government approach with 19 banks, 785 district post offices, 56 welfare associations and teams from MeitY, UIDAI, CGDA, Railways, DoT, EPFO and state governments.
| Item | Detail (as reported) |
|---|---|
| Organiser | Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare |
| Dates | November 1 to 30, 2026 |
| Reach | 2,000 cities and districts |
| Target | 2.30 crore DLCs, including 1.50 crore by face authentication |
| Services | Health check-ups, Aadhaar updation, doorstep services, grievance redressal |
2. Why face authentication is the focus
Pensioners must submit a life certificate every year to keep receiving their pension, and the digital route is Jeevan Pramaan, a biometric-enabled service. The ministry says face authentication is a seamless and fast way to generate a DLC on Android and iOS phones, which can help elderly pensioners who have trouble with fingerprints. Joint Secretary Dhrubajyoti Sengupta said DLC services began in 2014 and face authentication was added in 2021.
3. Camps, doorstep services and health check-ups
The government says camps will run in “Utsav” mode with health check-ups and Aadhaar updation for pensioners, and grievance officers will resolve DLC complaints quickly. Mega camps are planned in areas with many pensioners, and senior DoPPW officials will attend and review the campaign on the ground in selected states. On Tuesday, November 3, DoPPW Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma addressed a mega camp with Punjab National Bank at its Parliament Street branch in New Delhi, which also included a medical camp, according to PTI.
4. Targets and how the campaign has grown
Campaign 5 aims for 2.30 crore certificates. A summary of Campaign 4 in November 2025 reports 1.91 crore certificates and about 1.16 crore through face authentication, while Sengupta cited roughly 1.25 crore face-authenticated certificates, so last year’s figures vary by source. He also said more than 14 lakh pensioners aged 80 or above submitted certificates in the previous campaign.
The campaign has expanded sharply since its first edition in 2022, which covered 37 cities, according to All India Radio. The second campaign covered 100 cities and the third 800, and the last two have each covered 2,000.
5. What pensioners can do
- Check your pension-disbursing bank or post office for camps and doorstep options near you during November.
- If you are comfortable with a smartphone, ask a family member to help you try face authentication through Jeevan Pramaan.
- If you cannot go to a camp or use a phone, ask the bank or post office about doorstep service.
- Keep your pension account details ready and use only official channels.
This is general information, not official guidance. Confirm local camp details and any deadline for your pension with your pension-disbursing bank or office.
6. Staying safe
Campaigns like this can attract scam calls. As general good practice, do not share OTPs or bank details with unknown callers, and use only the official bank, post office or government channels to submit your life certificate.
7. What is still unknown
Results for Campaign 5 are not yet available, and the reports reviewed do not give a list of camp locations. We read the PIB release through a reproduction on a scheme-news site and did not open the PIB page or the office memorandum directly. Last year’s figures come from a secondary summary and an official’s remarks that do not match exactly.
8. Related reading on WB Scheme News
9. Frequently asked questions
1. What is the Digital Life Certificate campaign?
It is a nationwide drive by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), the fifth of its kind, running from November 1 to 30, 2026 in 2,000 cities and districts to help pensioners submit digital life certificates, especially through face authentication.
2. Why do pensioners need a life certificate?
Pensioners must submit a life certificate every year to continue receiving their pension. It can be done digitally through Jeevan Pramaan, a biometric-enabled service.
3. Can I do it from home?
DoPPW Secretary Nivedita Shukla Verma said pensioners can generate a digital life certificate at home using a smartphone, without depending on others or visiting bank branches, according to PTI.
4. What if I cannot visit a camp or use a phone?
Doorstep services are available through banks and post offices for pensioners who cannot visit camps or complete the process on their own, according to the ministry statement.
5. What else is offered at the camps?
The government says camps will run in “Utsav” mode with health check-ups, Aadhaar updation and grievance redressal, and mega camps will be held where many pensioners live.
6. How many certificates is the government aiming for?
The target is 2.30 crore digital life certificates, including 1.50 crore through face authentication.
10. Conclusion
The November campaign is a large push to make the annual life-certificate requirement easier, with face authentication, camps and doorstep help in 2,000 cities and districts. The practical step for pensioners is to use the month to submit their certificate through the route that suits them, and for families to help older relatives.
11. Sources and references
- PIB (Delhi), October 30, 2026 — Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5 (reproduced by Indian Govt Scheme). Primary announcement: dates, targets, partners, services; read through a reproduction, not the PIB page.
Read the PIB text ↗ - PTI (via Nagaland Post) — Nationwide Digital Life Certificate campaign from Nov 1: Centre, October 31, 2026. Confirms the 2,000 cities and the annual life-certificate requirement.
Read the PTI report ↗ - ANI (via The Tribune) — Govt pushes face authentication for pensioners in largest-ever DLC campaign, October 30, 2026. Targets of 2.30 crore and 1.50 crore, Utsav-mode camps and grievance officers.
Read The Tribune report ↗ - PTI (via Telangana Today) — Pensioners urged to adopt digital life certificates, November 3, 2026. DoPPW Secretary’s remarks at the PNB mega camp and last year’s face-authentication figures.
Read the Telangana Today report ↗ - CAMTEL — Govt launches record-breaking digital pension drive (April 2026 summary of Campaign 4). Last year’s totals; a secondary summary, so figures may differ slightly from official numbers.
Read the Campaign 4 summary ↗ - All India Radio — Digital Life Certificate Campaign 3.0 launched to felicitate more pensioners, November 2024. History of the campaign’s growth and the alternative non-digital methods.
Read the AIR report ↗
