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Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

Government of India — small savings · Government & Post Office Schemes

A government pension scheme for the unorganised sector: contribute until 60, then receive a fixed monthly pension.

Terms set by notification Not published as a number here — it varies by provider, tenure or plan.

The regulator's page for the scheme, with the contribution chart and eligibility.

Check the official page

Source PFRDA — Atal Pension Yojana

www.pfrda.org.in

The regulator's page for the scheme, with the contribution chart and eligibility.

How it works

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a government schemes product from Government of India — small savings, in the conditional category: depends on terms being met. A government pension scheme for the unorganised sector: contribute until 60, then receive a fixed monthly pension.

Because the return type is conditional, the questions that matter most are: Which conditions have to be true for me to get the stated return? What do I get if those conditions are not met?

  • A small guaranteed pension after 60
  • Saving for retirement without market risk

Key facts

Provider
Government of India — small savings
Source
PFRDA — Atal Pension Yojana ↗ https://www.pfrda.org.in
Rate
Terms set by notification ↗
Category
Government & Post Office Schemes
Minimum investment
₹1,000 minimum annual contribution; varies with the pension chosen
Tenure
Until age 60
Payout
Pension after 60
Eligibility
Indian citizens aged 18 to 40 with a savings account, and not already in a tax-paying bracket under the scheme rules.
Getting your money back
Locked until 60, except in specified circumstances such as death or terminal illness.
Protection
The pension is guaranteed by the government once the scheme conditions are met.
Tax
Contributions may qualify for a deduction. The pension is taxable as income.

What can go wrong

  • The pension is fixed in rupees, so inflation erodes it over a long retirement.
  • Contributions are locked for decades.
  • Missing contributions can lead to account closure and penalties.

Before you decide anything

  • The contribution for your age and chosen pension
  • The penalty for a missed contribution

These are questions to take to the provider, not a checklist that makes a product suitable. Whether something fits your situation is a decision only you — or an adviser you choose — can make.

Official sources

These link to the regulator or provider where the rules for this type of product are set out. They are the pages worth checking before you act, because they are the ones that get updated.

Other products in this category

The same rules and the same kind of trade-offs, described the same way.