Portal: sparsh.defencepension.gov.in | Helpline: 1800-180-5325
If you are a retired defence personnel or a family pensioner, you already know that submitting your Life Certificate every year is not optional. Miss it, and your pension payments stop. The good news is that the SPARSH Pension Portal has made the whole process much simpler than it used to be.
This guide covers everything you need — what SPARSH is, what the Life Certificate means, how to submit it digitally or manually, and how to check whether your submission went through.
SPARSH stands for System for Pension Administration (Raksha). It is an online pension management platform launched by the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) under the Ministry of Defence. The system is administered by the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) through the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), Prayagraj.
Before SPARSH, defence pensioners had to deal with multiple bank branches, paper vouchers, and long verification chains. The old system was slow, error-prone, and required pensioners to visit offices in person repeatedly.
SPARSH changed that. Today, over 31 lakh defence pensioners across India and Nepal are onboarded on this single unified platform. Everything — pension disbursement, grievance redressal, profile updates, Form 16 downloads, and Life Certificate submission — happens through one portal.
Banks like SBI, PNB, HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, and India Post Payments Bank are linked to SPARSH, and pension is credited directly to your account without any middlemen.
The Life Certificate, also called Jeevan Pramaan Patra, is an annual document that confirms you are alive and eligible to receive your pension. Every defence pensioner must submit it once a year, usually in November, to avoid any disruption in pension payments.
Without this certificate, SPARSH has no way to verify that the pension is going to the right person. It is a fraud prevention measure as much as it is a formality.
You can submit it in two ways:
Both methods are accepted. Which one you choose depends on what device and documents you have available.
Feature
Details
Portal
sparsh.defencepension.gov.in
Launched by
Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA)
Submission deadline
Usually November every year
Digital method
Jeevan Pramaan app (face/biometric)
Manual method
MLC form, signed by gazetted officer
File format (manual)
PDF, under 10 MB
Helpline
1800-180-5325 (9:30 AM – 6:00 PM)
Before you can submit anything, you need your login credentials.
If you forgot your password, use the Forgot Password option and reset it through OTP sent to your registered number.
If you never received login credentials, you can visit the nearest SPARSH Seva Kendra or raise a grievance on the portal. The Seva Kendra staff will help you access the portal using temporary credentials after identity verification.
This is the offline option. It takes slightly longer to process but works well if you do not have the required smartphone or biometric device.
Step 1: Log in to your SPARSH account at sparsh.defencepension.gov.in
Step 2: Download the Manual Life Certificate (MLC) form from the portal
Step 3: Fill in all required details carefully
Step 4: Get the form signed and stamped by a first-class Gazetted Officer
Step 5: Scan the completed and signed form
Step 6: Upload the scanned file on the SPARSH portal
Step 7: Submit and wait for SPARSH approval
Once approved, you will see the next due date in the MLC status bar on your dashboard.
The DLC method is faster and does not require any physical document. You can do it from home. SPARSH offers two ways to generate a DLC:
After successful submission, you will receive a link on your registered mobile number and email. Use that link to download your DLC certificate.
If face recognition is not working or your internet connection is unstable, you can use a fingerprint scanner (biometric device) connected to your computer, laptop, or phone.
This method is particularly useful in rural areas. The steps are similar to the face recognition process, but authentication is done through fingerprint instead of the camera.
After submitting your DLC or MLC, always verify that it was accepted. Here is how:
If your submission is pending for more than 24 to 48 hours, check whether your Aadhaar mobile number is correct and resubmit if needed.
Problem
Solution
Face scan not working
Use good lighting, clean the camera lens, ensure stable internet
Forgot password
Use Forgot Password option, reset via OTP
Aadhaar mobile number not matching
Update mobile number on Aadhaar before submitting
DLC status not updated
Wait 24 to 48 hours, then check again
Unable to log in
Visit nearest SPARSH Seva Kendra with identity documents
Most pensioners need to submit it in November each year. However, always check SPARSH portal notifications for updated timelines and your specific due date.
Yes. If face recognition is not working on your device, you can use a biometric fingerprint scanner connected to your computer or phone.
Yes. Aadhaar-based authentication is required for the DLC process through Jeevan Pramaan.
Once authentication is successful, a download link is sent to your registered mobile number and email ID. Use that link to download and save the certificate.
Yes. Family pensioners are also required to submit their annual Life Certificate through SPARSH.
Submit your Life Certificate immediately through the portal or visit a SPARSH Seva Kendra. Once verified, payments resume.
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