Atal Pension Yojana (APY) Calculator
The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a government-backed pension scheme for Indian workers in the unorganised sector. Pick your entry age and the monthly pension you want at age 60, and this calculator shows your required monthly, quarterly, and half-yearly contribution, the total you will invest over the years, the guaranteed corpus your nominee receives, and a year-by-year wealth-accumulation chart.
What is the Atal Pension Yojana (APY)?
The Atal Pension Yojana is a government-backed pension scheme launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Finance, administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). It targets workers in the unorganised sector who lack access to employer-sponsored retirement benefits. Any Indian citizen aged 18 to 40 with a savings bank account can enrol. In return for a fixed monthly contribution, PFRDA guarantees a monthly pension of Rs 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 5,000 from the age of 60 onwards. If the subscriber dies after 60, the spouse continues to receive the same pension for life. If both pass away, the accumulated corpus is returned to the nominee as a lump sum.
How is the APY contribution calculated?
PFRDA does not use a single formula; it publishes a fixed contribution schedule that takes two inputs: your age at the time of joining and the monthly pension amount you select. The schedule is built on an assumed 8% annualised return on the pension corpus. For example, a 25-year-old who wants Rs 3,000 per month pays Rs 227 monthly for 35 years (420 months), totalling around Rs 95,340. The guaranteed corpus for the Rs 3,000 tier is Rs 5.1 lakh, which is roughly 5.4 times the total invested. Joining earlier results in a smaller monthly contribution but a longer payment period, while joining later requires a higher monthly amount over fewer years. The corpus guarantee is the same for all subscribers in the same tier regardless of entry age.
Contribution frequency - monthly, quarterly, and half-yearly
APY contributions are auto-debited from your linked savings account. The default is monthly, but PFRDA also permits quarterly and half-yearly deductions for account holders whose income is seasonal. The quarterly contribution is three times the monthly slab, and the half-yearly contribution is six times, so there is no additional compounding benefit to a particular frequency. The PFRDA contribution calendar runs from June to March in each financial year, and if your account lacks sufficient balance on the debit date, a penalty is levied. Missing contributions can be restored by paying the arrears plus a penalty of Rs 1 per Rs 100 of contribution per month of default.
Tax benefit and eligibility rules
APY contributions qualify for a deduction under Section 80CCD(1) of the Income Tax Act, within the overall Rs 1.5 lakh ceiling of Section 80C. An additional deduction of up to Rs 50,000 is available under Section 80CCD(1B), over and above the 80C limit. Subscribers who are or were members of any statutory social security scheme (including EPF, NPS, or ESIC) are not eligible for APY from October 2022 onwards, following a government amendment. The scheme is also not available to income-tax payers who joined on or after 1 October 2022. Existing pre-October 2022 subscribers who become income-tax payers may continue contributing, but will not receive a government guarantee top-up if the corpus falls short.
Official PFRDA APY Monthly Contribution Chart
| Entry age | Rs 1,000/mo | Rs 2,000/mo | Rs 3,000/mo | Rs 4,000/mo | Rs 5,000/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 42 | 84 | 126 | 168 | 210 |
| 20 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 198 | 248 |
| 22 | 59 | 117 | 177 | 234 | 292 |
| 24 | 70 | 139 | 208 | 277 | 346 |
| 25 | 76 | 151 | 227 | 302 | 376 |
| 26 | 82 | 164 | 246 | 327 | 409 |
| 28 | 97 | 194 | 292 | 388 | 485 |
| 30 | 116 | 231 | 347 | 462 | 577 |
| 32 | 138 | 276 | 414 | 551 | 689 |
| 34 | 165 | 330 | 495 | 659 | 824 |
| 35 | 181 | 362 | 544 | 722 | 902 |
| 36 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 | 990 |
| 38 | 240 | 480 | 720 | 957 | 1196 |
| 39 | 264 | 528 | 792 | 1054 | 1318 |
| 40 | 291 | 582 | 873 | 1164 | 1454 |
Official monthly contribution amounts (INR) for each entry age and pension tier. Source: PFRDA subscriber information circular.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible to join APY?
Any Indian citizen aged 18 to 40 who holds a savings bank account or post-office savings account and has a valid Aadhaar-linked mobile number can enrol. Persons who are members of any other statutory social security scheme, or who are income-tax payers (for enrolments on or after 1 October 2022), are not eligible.
Can I change my pension tier after joining?
Yes. PFRDA allows subscribers to upgrade or downgrade their pension tier once per financial year, during April. When you switch tiers, your contribution is adjusted to the new slab for your current age, not your original entry age, so the monthly amount will differ from what the chart shows for a fresh joiner at the same age.
What happens if I die before age 60?
If a subscriber dies before reaching age 60, the spouse can either continue the APY account by making contributions until the deceased would have turned 60 and then receive the pension, or opt to withdraw the accumulated corpus immediately. The nominee (typically the spouse) is entitled to the full guaranteed corpus for the chosen pension tier, regardless of how much was actually contributed.
Is the Rs 5,000 monthly pension enough for retirement?
At 2026 price levels, Rs 5,000 per month covers basic living expenses for a single person in a tier-3 or rural area, but is unlikely to be sufficient on its own in a metro city. APY is best thought of as a floor guarantee, not a complete retirement plan. Consider pairing it with voluntary NPS contributions, mutual fund SIPs, or other savings instruments to build a larger retirement corpus.
What is the guaranteed corpus and how is it different from total contributions?
The guaranteed corpus is the lump-sum pension wealth PFRDA promises at age 60, ranging from Rs 1.7 lakh (Rs 1,000 pension tier) to Rs 8.5 lakh (Rs 5,000 pension tier). This corpus generates the monthly pension through annuity. It is guaranteed by the government regardless of actual fund performance. Your total contributions are simply the sum of all monthly payments over the years; the corpus is typically 4-6 times that total for younger entrants, reflecting 30-42 years of compounding at 8%.
Can NRI (Non-Resident Indians) join APY?
No. APY is open only to resident Indian citizens. NRIs are not eligible to enrol or continue contributions once they become non-resident. If an existing subscriber becomes an NRI, the account will be closed and the accumulated corpus returned.
How do I enrol in APY?
You can enrol at any bank branch or post office where you hold a savings account, or through your bank's mobile or internet banking app. You need your Aadhaar number, linked mobile number, and existing savings account details. The registration form is available at the bank or on the eNPS portal (enps.nsdl.com).