Oh no! Changing PF account details gets tougher online and offline – Read new EPFO guidelines

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has issued fresh guidelines on correction in member profile for errors in name, father/husband name, DOB and gender. However, EPFO said that it has been observed that complete name and profile change has been made in certain cases leading to fraudulent withdrawals. 

A complete change in the member profile cannot be allowed in the normal course through online or offline process except in extreme situations where it has been proven that the member name has been changed following the due process prescribed in law, or there has been an erroneous upload of member data by the employer, on production of documentary evidence by the member and employer and after due verification, EPFO said. Accordingly, EPFO has issued guidelines on Minor and Major corrections

Minor correction: A correction will be considered Minor on the following issues

1. If the correction is related to expanding the name/surname from abbreviation to full name, or vice versa, without changing the first letter if after the correction, the pronunciation of the name doesn't change.  2. If the father name or husband name is inserted as middle name in AADHAR. 3. If it involves only change in surname of female employees after marriage. 

Major correction: A correction will be considered Major on the following issues

All those cases which do not fall in the category of "Minor correction", or any correction leading to complete change in name/father name, or where correction in more than two fields are involved, EPFO said.

Major corrections as described above shall not be done in the online process without obtaining proper documentary proof, including explanation from the employer, and verification of the genuineness of the case.