The National Pension Scheme (NPS) is one of India’s most accepted pension-oriented products. The Central Government introduced the programme as part of a social security initiative for all Indian citizens. The NPS scheme allows all Indian citizens and NRIs to invest in low-risk equity funds, security funds, or alternative investments with good returns.
Investing in NPS will give you an edge over fixed-income schemes and allow you to avail tax benefits up to Rs.1.5 lakh under Section 80C and Section 80CCD of the Income Tax Act, 1961, depending on the type of account, i.e. Tier-I or Tier-II. While the lock-in period on NPS schemes is until retirement, you can choose to withdraw your funds prematurely in specific cases to cater to unforeseen financial requirements.
The pension programme also benefits you from choosing the allocation of your investments. The scheme gives you the option to select the funds automatically or manually. While the active choice will allow you to determine the plan and percentage of your funds you wish to invest in, the auto choice will allocate your investments based on your age and risk profile.
At present, there are 11 NPS pension fund managers in the country.
SBI Pension Fund, LIC Pension Fund, and UTI Retirement Solutions are the only fund managers who manage pension contributions of government employees under NPS.
As of June 2024, UTI Retirement Solutions Fund generated the best returns of 8.89 % in the past five years under the NPS Central Government Scheme. The fund mainly invests in the government (GOI) securities and central government loans. The next in line is recorded by the with the LIC Pension Fund returns generated recorded at 8.84% for the same period. SBI Pension Fund also recorded the returns at 8.83% in the last five years.
As of June 2024, the UTI Retirement Solutions Fund generated the highest returns of 8.89% under the NPS state government scheme in the last five years. The fund’s portfolio is predominantly exposed to the financial sector (banking and state development loans). SBI Pension Fund followed it by generating 8.79% returns over the last five years.
Pension Fund | NAV | Returns 1 Year | Returns 3 Years | Returns 5 Years | Returns 7 Years | Returns 10 Years | Returns Inception |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Pension Management Ltd. | 28.7176 | 33.38% | 19.51% | 19.71% | 15.37% | NA | 15.71% |
Axis Pension Fund Management Limited | 14.8893 | 35.08% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 25.13% |
HDFC Pension Management Co. Ltd. | 53.5163 | 34.22% | 19.25% | 20.22% | 15.69% | 14.29% | 16.47% |
ICICI Pru. Pension Fund Mgmt Co. Ltd. | 73.4392 | 37.56% | 20.87% | 20.90% | 15.88% | 14.10% | 13.99% |
Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Ltd. | 67.1286 | 36.19% | 20.40% | 20.56% | 15.55% | 14.12% | 13.33% |
LIC Pension Fund Ltd. | 45.2454 | 33.33% | 19.71% | 19.91% | 14.77% | 13.13% | 14.67% |
Max Life Pension Fund Management Limited | 14.7441 | 35.98% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 22.91% |
SBI Pension Funds Pvt. Ltd | 58.3562 | 32.21% | 19.23% | 18.93% | 14.69% | 13.38% | 12.29% |
Tata Pension Management Pvt. Ltd. | 15.9755 | 40.91% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 27.19% |
UTI Pension Fund Ltd. | 72.634 | 39.73% | 20.72% | 20.81% | 15.86% | 14.41% | 13.93% |
DSP Pension Fund Managers Private Limited | 12.4756 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 24.76% |
Pension Fund | NAV | Returns 1 Year | Returns 3 Years | Returns 5 Years | Returns 7 Years | Returns 10 Years | Returns Inception |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Pension Management Ltd. | 17.4933 | 9.66% | 7.04% | 7.14% | 7.49% | NA | 8.04% |
Axis Pension Fund Management Limited | 11.6985 | 9.75% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 9.16% |
HDFC Pension Management Co. Ltd. | 26.1392 | 9.89% | 6.85% | 7.14% | 7.65% | 9.15% | 9.11% |
ICICI Pru. Pension Fund Mgmt Co. Ltd. | 34.809 | 9.59% | 6.72% | 6.85% | 7.48% | 9.06% | 8.55% |
Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Ltd. | 34.9192 | 9.83% | 7.02% | NA | 7.52% | 9.14% | 8.55% |
LIC Pension Fund Ltd. | 28.1745 | 9.64% | 6.95% | 7.03% | 8.00% | 9.63% | 9.83% |
Max Life Pension Fund Management Limited | 11.8175 | 9.42% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 9.28% |
SBI Pension Funds Pvt. Ltd | 37.7604 | 9.80% | 6.88% | 7.02% | 7.56% | 9.19% | 9.11% |
Tata Pension Management Pvt. Ltd. | 11.7751 | 9.39% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 8.75% |
UTI Pension Fund Ltd. | 33.7851 | 10.02% | 7.16% | 7.00% | 7.36% | 8.88% | 8.33% |
DSP Pension Fund Managers Private Limited | 10.766 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7.66% |
Pension Fund | NAV | Returns 1 Year | Returns 3 Years | Returns 5 Years | Returns 7 Years | Returns 10 Years | Returns Inception |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Pension Management Ltd. | 17.8395 | 8.14% | 6.26% | 7.52% | 8.03% | NA | 8.33% |
Axis Pension Fund Management Limited | 11.4108 | 7.88% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7.72% |
HDFC Pension Management Co. Ltd. | 26.5039 | 8.40% | 6.39% | 7.76% | 7.74% | 9.03% | 9.26% |
ICICI Pru. Pension Fund Mgmt Co. Ltd. | 40.0018 | 8.08% | 6.15% | 7.25% | 7.45% | 8.94% | 9.54% |
Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Ltd. | 38.3804 | 8.15% | 6.14% | 6.70% | 6.84% | 8.45% | 9.24% |
LIC Pension Fund Ltd. | 25.8642 | 7.89% | 6.05% | 7.35% | 7.32% | 8.72% | 9.00% |
Max Life Pension Fund Management Limited | 11.4063 | 7.63% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7.24% |
SBI Pension Funds Pvt. Ltd | 40.0972 | 8.07% | 6.08% | 7.39% | 7.44% | 8.78% | 9.56% |
Tata Pension Management Pvt. Ltd. | 11.4058 | 8.10% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 6.99% |
UTI Pension Fund Ltd. | 35.5083 | 8.00% | 6.01% | 7.10% | 7.09% | 8.50% | 8.69% |
DSP Pension Fund Managers Private Limited | 10.4903 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4.90% |
Pension Fund | NAV | Returns 1 Year | Returns 3 Years | Returns 5 Years | Returns 7 Years | Returns 10 Years | Returns Inception |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Pension Management Ltd. | 15.7795% | 10.38% | 7.38% | 6.25% | 6.54% | NA | 6.53% |
Axis Pension Fund Management Limited | 11.196 | 6.79% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 6.57% |
HDFC Pension Management Co. Ltd. | 18.9785 | 11.20% | 8.71% | 8.48% | 8.81% | NA | 8.55% |
ICICI Pru. Pension Fund Mgmt Co. Ltd. | 17.0439 | 11.73% | 7.25% | 6.74% | 7.26% | NA | 7.18% |
Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Ltd. | 16.8558 | 11.95% | 6.18% | 6.63% | 7.09% | NA | 6.93% |
LIC Pension Fund Ltd. | 17.565 | 7.97% | 6.77% | 7.23% | 7.67% | NA | 7.49% |
Max Life Pension Fund Management Limited | 9.7471 | 7.21% | NA | NA | NA | NA | -1.35% |
SBI Pension Funds Pvt. Ltd | 19.3857 | 13.37% | 7.39% | 9.26% | 9.13% | NA | 8.86% |
Tata Pension Management Pvt. Ltd. | 11.5927 | 9.37% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7.88% |
UTI Pension Fund Ltd. | 16.2477 | 9.22% | 6.56% | 6.08% | 6.43% | NA | 6.42% |
DSP Pension Fund Managers Private Limited | 10.3706 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.71% |
Pension Fund | NAV | Returns 1 Year | Returns 3 Years | Returns 5 Years | Returns 7 Years | Returns 10 Years | Returns Inception |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Pension Management Ltd. | 28.8335 | 34.13% | 19.90% | 19.96% | 15.57% | NA | 15.77% |
Axis Pension Fund Management Limited | 15.0211 | 35.72% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 25.76% |
HDFC Pension Management Co. Ltd. | 46.2877 | 34.25% | 19.31% | 20.22% | 15.67% | 14.35% | 14.94% |
ICICI Pru. Pension Fund Mgmt Co. Ltd. | 57.6566 | 36.06% | 20.66% | 20.81% | 15.86% | 14.08% | 12.73% |
Kotak Mahindra Pension Fund Ltd. | 59.0831 | 36.20% | 20.44% | 20.39% | 15.46% | 14.05% | 12.91% |
LIC Pension Fund Ltd. | 37.6194 | 32.19% | 19.56% | 19.80% | 14.62% | 12.87% | 12.83% |
Max Life Pension Fund Management Limited | 15.5773 | 34.95% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 26.55% |
SBI Pension Funds Pvt. Ltd | 53.9657 | 32.15% | 19.35% | 19.03% | 14.77% | 13.43% | 12.21% |
Tata Pension Management Pvt. Ltd. | 15.9553 | 40.81% | NA | NA | NA | NA | 27.11% |
UTI Pension Fund Ltd. | 57.993 | 36.19% | 19.55% | 20.21% | 15.60% | 14.24% | 12.76% |
DSP Pension Fund Managers Private Limited | 12.0246 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 20.25% |
Calculate monthly pension & tax benefits through Cleartax NPS Calculator. Utilise the pension calculator to know the lump sum amount and the provisional pension you can expect on maturity or at the time of retirement based on your monthly instalments. All you have to do is key in the basic parameters of your scheme. The automated tool will calculate the tentative pension and the total corpus you can expect at the end of the tenure.
Most investors choose to invest in the NPS only to save on taxes. However, with the contribution to the NPS having been mandated for state and central government employees, many consumers have opted for the pension programme, unaware of the tax implications and benefits NPS offers. Hence, it is advised to ensure that you understand the rules regarding the withdrawal of funds and mandatory clauses involved in the product before you begin investing.
Download NPS scheme performance report as of 31st July 2024 here.
National Pension Scheme (NPS) in India offers low-risk investment options with good returns and tax benefits. There are 11 NPS pension fund managers, with the top performers being UTI Retirement Solutions, LIC Pension Fund, and SBI Pension Fund. The scheme allows choosing investment allocation, provides various returns based on different schemes, and offers a pension calculator for estimating benefits.