Defence Pensioners Complete 20.48 Lakh Digital Life Certifications in Campaign 5.0 by November 11
More than 20 lakh defence pensioners have submitted Digital Life Certificates (DLCs) during the government’s nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 5.0, with the Ministry of Defence reporting that 20.48 lakh had completed certification by November 11, 2026.
The figure is the highest contribution by any department taking part in the campaign, which runs from November 1 to 30. The initiative is led by the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) under the Ministry of Defence and coordinated by the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW).
The campaign is intended to help retired Armed Forces personnel and family pensioners complete their annual life certification without unnecessary travel, lengthy procedures or a requirement for physical verification at pension offices.
Service centres and outreach programmes support pensioners
The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) has mobilised service centres, banks and other support networks across the country to assist pensioners with certification and related services.
A total of 194 SPARSH Service Centres are equipped to help pensioners generate DLCs and access other services through the SPARSH platform. Support is also available through approximately 4.63 lakh Common Service Centres, 13 partner banks, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) and 29 nodal officers.
Around 80 outreach programmes are being held nationwide, with assistance aimed in particular at elderly veterans and family pensioners who may have difficulty using digital services independently. A Mega Digital Life Certificate Camp is scheduled for November 23, 2026, in Kochi, where defence pensioners will be able to receive on-the-spot help with their annual certification.
Face authentication accounts for more than 80% of certificates
More than 80% of the Digital Life Certificates generated under Campaign 5.0 have been completed using Aadhaar-based Face Authentication Technology, according to the Defence Accounts Department.
Available through the Jeevan Pramaan system and its mobile application, the technology allows pensioners to verify their identity with a smartphone, without an external biometric device. It can help older and super-senior pensioners who may face difficulties with fingerprint authentication because of age-related biometric changes.
The option also offers a way for differently-abled veterans and pensioners with limited mobility to complete verification from home rather than travelling to a bank or pension office. The campaign is encouraging smartphone-based certification as a means of supporting digital independence among veterans and their families.
Campaign builds on previous DLC and SPARSH efforts
The current campaign follows DLC Campaign 4.0, held in November 2025. During that drive, the Defence Accounts Department generated more than 20.94 lakh certificates through its network of SPARSH Service Centres, Common Service Centres and banking partners.
The department has also expanded the SPARSH pension administration system. As of October 2026, approximately 35.11 lakh defence pensioners had been onboarded onto the platform.
To improve access and help address pension-related concerns, the department has conducted 301 SPARSH Outreach Programmes and 204 Raksha Pension Samadhan Aayojans across India. These initiatives have enabled more than 8,000 grievances to be resolved on the spot.
Pensioners urged to complete certification by November 30
The Defence Accounts Department has urged defence pensioners and family pensioners who have not yet submitted their annual DLC to do so before the campaign ends on November 30. They can seek assistance at a nearby SPARSH Service Centre, participating bank, Common Service Centre or designated outreach programme. Pensioners with compatible smartphones can also use Aadhaar-based face authentication to generate a certificate remotely.
The department says the campaign is part of efforts to improve pension delivery, widen digital access and reduce administrative difficulties for retired Armed Forces personnel. Its stated principle is “Right Pension to the Right Pensioner at the Right Time,” with the aim of making pension verification more convenient, transparent and accessible to veterans and their families across India.
