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Key Differences Between the National Pension Scheme and Atal Pension Yojana (NPS vs. APY)

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Synopsis:

The National Pension Scheme (NPS) and the Atal Pension Yojana are both initiatives of the Central Government to help people plan their retirement from a financial viewpoint. Read more..NPS is aimed at employees of the private, public, and unorganised sectors. However, APY is meant for people employed in the unorganised sector. Both schemes allow subscribers to make contributions while they are working so that they can get a pension once they turn 60. However, there are important differences between them. For example, NPS allows people to select how much they would like to invest in an asset. However, APY does not provide such flexibility to its subscribers. Meanwhile, APY offers a fixed pension to its subscribers, but NPS does not do so. Read less


The National Pension Scheme (NPS) and the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) help people make contributions in their working years so that they can get a pension after turning 60. However, the schemes are quite different from each other. So, let us discuss NPS vs. APY in detail.

Criteria

NPS

APY

Minimum and maximum age to join

To join the NPS, you have to be at least 18 years old and you should not be more than 55 years of age.

You should be at least 18 years of age and at most 40 years old to join APY.

Eligibility

Indian citizens and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are eligible for NPS.

APY is meant only for Indian residents.

Guaranteed Pension

A subscriber is not guaranteed to receive a certain sum of money under NPS.

A subscriber gets a guaranteed pension under APY after he retires based on his contributions and age.

Types of Accounts & Premature Withdrawal

Under NPS, you can open either a Tier 1 account or a Tier 2 account. A Tier 1 account has a lock-in period, as it does not allow you to withdraw your funds before turning 60. However, a Tier 2 account does not have a lock-in period. So, you can withdraw money from it before you turn 60.

Under APY, you can open only one kind of account. This scheme does not allow premature withdrawals with the exception of a few situations.

Assets Invested In

NPS invests in equities, government bonds, corporate bonds, and alternative investment funds.

APY invests in debt instruments, like treasury bills, government bonds, etc.

Flexibility to Choose Assets to Invest In

If a subscriber selects the Active Choice NPS Option, he can select how much he would like to invest in each type of asset.

APY does not provide the flexibility to a subscriber to choose the assets in which he would like to invest.

Having discussed NPS vs. APY, let us delve deeper into these schemes.

 Additional Read: National Pension Scheme Tier I Account 

What is NPS and APY ? 

NPS - National Pension Scheme: NPS is a Central Government scheme meant to encourage people to make long-term investments to get retirement benefits. The scheme is open to people employed in the private, public, and unorganised sectors. It is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

Subscribers to the scheme have to make regular contributions to their pension account while they are employed. After they retire, they can withdraw a portion of their accumulated corpus. The remaining amount is meant to provide them with a monthly pension. Hence, by regularly contributing to their pension account when they are employed, subscribers can financially secure their post-retirement life thanks to NPS.

APY - Atal Pension Yojna: APY was launched by the Central Government to provide a pension specifically to people employed in the unorganized sector in India. Such people work in the informal sector as domestic helpers, street food vendors, waste collectors, drivers, etc. Often, they earn less than the minimum wage of the government. Hence, to ensure that they get a pension on turning 60, this scheme was launched. To become its beneficiary, people have to make contributions, which are managed by the PFRDA. When a contributor turns 60, he has the option to get a fixed pension per month of ₹ 1000, ₹ 2000, ₹ 3000, ₹ 4000, or ₹ 5000 based on his contributions and age.

What are the Similarities Between NPS and APY?

When we discussed NPS vs. APY, we highlighted the differences between these two schemes. However, it is interesting to note that there are quite a few similarities between them as well. For example, both schemes help people plan for their retirement. By contributing towards NPS or APY, you can ensure that you get a pension after turning 60.

Both schemes are open to Indian residents. Hence, if you are an Indian resident, you can invest in NPS or APY based on your objective. Both NPS and APY are managed by the same authority – PFRDA. PFRDA protects the interests of investors and ensures that transparency is maintained.

Which is better​ APY vs. NPS - Final Takeaway?

The answer to this question depends upon your needs as a subscriber. For example, NPS offers more flexibility than APY. If you open a Tier 2 account with NPS, you can withdraw your money prematurely. However, APY does not allow premature withdrawals, unless for exceptional cases.

Meanwhile, APY allows you to get a fixed pension. But, NPS does not guarantee a fixed pension. NPS invests in riskier assets than APY. So, if your risk-taking ability is low, you should select APY over NPS.

APY does not allow you to contribute after you cross 40 years of age. However, NPS allows you to contribute till you are 70 years old. If you want to contribute for more years, you should select NPS over APY.

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Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.

This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary difference between the National Pension Scheme (NPS) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY)?

Answer Field

NPS is more flexible than APY. NPS allows subscribers to choose the assets in which they would like to invest. However, APY does not provide such flexibility. APY provides a fixed pension to subscribers based on their age and contributions. But, NPS does not provide a fixed pension.

Who is eligible to join the National Pension Scheme (NPS) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY)?

Answer Field

All Indian citizens and NRIs between the ages of 18 and 55 are eligible for NPS. However, APY is only meant for Indian residents between 18 and 40 years old. Meanwhile, NRIs cannot subscribe to APY.

What are the benefits of investing in NPS compared to APY?

Answer Field

NPS allows more flexibility than APY. NPS allows people to select the proportion of their investment in an asset, which APY does not allow. Further, NPS allows people to contribute till the age of 70, but APY lets them contribute only till the age of 40.

Is there a minimum age requirement for enrolling in NPS or APY?

Answer Field

Yes, you should be at least 18 years of age to enrol for NPS or APY.

Which scheme, NPS or APY, is better for retirement planning?

Answer Field

It depends upon your objective. If you are likely to make premature withdrawals, you should go for NPS. This is because APY allows premature withdrawals only under exceptional circumstances. APY offers a guaranteed pension based on your contributions and age. However, there is no such guarantee under NPS.

Is APY better than NPS?

Answer Field

If you want a guaranteed pension depending upon your age and contributions, then you should go for APY because NPS does not provide a guaranteed pension. However, if you want to make premature withdrawals, you should opt for NPS, as APY allows such withdrawals only under specific circumstances. Hence, whether APY is better than NPS depends upon your objective.

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