DLC Campaign 5.0 begins: 40 lakh digital life certificates in 5 days, face app now 80%

About 40 lakh digital life certificates (DLC) were generated in the first five days of the nationwide DLC Campaign 5.0, against about 25 lakh in the same period last year, a rise of 60 per cent. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions announced this in an official release on 6 November 2026. Face authentication, which lets a pensioner make the certificate on a mobile phone, now accounts for about 80 per cent of certificates, up from 61 per cent. Camps cover about 3,000 locations, and pensioners who cannot reach a camp can get home services.

What has the government announced about DLC Campaign 5.0?

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has issued an official release dated 6 November 2026. It says the Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions launched the nationwide Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaign 5.0 and shared early results at a press conference at the National Media Centre, New Delhi.

A digital life certificate is the electronic proof that a pensioner is alive, which pension-paying agencies need so that the pension keeps coming. The campaign is meant to make this yearly step easy for elderly people. The release says the campaign has grown into a nationwide movement that brings together government departments, pension-disbursing banks, pensioner associations and families.

How many digital life certificates were made in the first five days?

The release says that in the first five days of the campaign about 40 lakh digital life certificates were made. In the same period last year the figure was about 25 lakh, so the release records a rise of 60 per cent.

This is an early count and not the final total of the campaign. The release does not say how many certificates are expected by the end, and it does not say when the campaign ends. For a pensioner the useful message is that the system is being used in large numbers, so camps and helpers are likely to be busy.

What is the face authentication shift and why does it matter?

Face authentication lets a pensioner make the digital life certificate on a mobile phone, without going to a bank or an office. The release says the share of certificates made this way rose from 61 per cent to about 80 per cent over the same period. It also says that of the 1.92 crore digital life certificates made last year, about 1.17 crore were made through face authentication.

Measure	Figure in the release
Certificates in first five days of Campaign 5.0	About 40 lakh
Same period last year	About 25 lakh
Rise	60 per cent
Face authentication share, earlier	61 per cent
Face authentication share, now	About 80 per cent
Certificates made last year	1.92 crore
Of which by face authentication	About 1.17 crore

The release explains the path: first the traditional paper certificate, then fingerprint-based biometrics, and now face recognition as a simple option for those who find travel hard.

Who is this campaign meant for?

The campaign is for Central Government pensioners and the pension-paying system around them. The release says the number of Central Government pensioners has reached about 70 lakh, against about 50 lakh serving employees. In the past it was the other way round, with about 55 to 60 lakh serving employees and about 50 lakh pensioners.

The release says the main aim is ease of living for elderly citizens. It also says that children and grandchildren are helping their elders make the certificate, which has made the use of technology a family activity. If you are a pensioner of a state government, a bank or another body, the release does not say that the campaign applies to you, so check with your own pension-paying office.

Where can pensioners get the certificate: camps and home service?

The Secretary of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare said that about 3,000 locations are being covered through camps, with special efforts to reach pensioners in remote areas. For pensioners who cannot go to the camps, services at the doorstep have also been arranged, so that age or distance does not stop anyone.

The release does not publish the list of camp locations, dates or timings, and it does not give a helpline number. Pensioners should ask the bank branch or office that pays their pension, or their pensioner association, where the nearest camp is and how to ask for a home visit.

Which bodies are running the campaign?

The release describes the campaign as a whole-of-government effort. It names pension-disbursing banks, the Railways, the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Telecommunications, the Department of Posts, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, UIDAI, state governments and pensioner associations as partners.

The press conference was also attended by senior officials of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, the Railway Board, the Department of Posts, the Controller General of Defence Accounts, the Controller General of Communication Accounts and UIDAI. A coffee-table e-book documenting Campaign 4.0 and a compendium booklet were released at the event.

What other pension reforms did the release mention?

Besides the life-certificate drive, the release lists three reforms by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare: pension adalats to settle long-pending cases, a dedicated grievance redressal system through CPENGRAMS, and the simplification of obsolete rules and procedures.

The release says these reforms focus on removing unnecessary procedural hurdles and not on adding new regulation. It adds that the government is open to suggestions from pensioners who face difficulties. If you have an unresolved pension complaint, CPENGRAMS is the grievance route the release points to.

What should a pensioner do now?

1. Find out from your pension-paying bank, treasury or office whether you are covered by this campaign and what the last date is for you.
2. If you are comfortable with a smartphone, ask a family member to help you try the face-authentication method, since the release shows most pensioners now choose it.
3. If you cannot travel, ask your bank or pensioner association for a camp near you or a home visit.
4. Keep your Aadhaar details and pension details ready before you begin.
5. Use only official channels and never share your pension account details with strangers who offer to make the certificate for a fee.

What does the release not say?

The release is a press note about results and reach. It does not give the last date for submitting the certificate or the end date of Campaign 5.0. It does not list the camp locations or dates, a helpline number or a website link. It does not explain the steps of the face-authentication app, the phone requirements or any fee. It does not say what happens to the pension if a certificate is not submitted in time, and it does not cover pensioners outside the Central Government system. Treat the numbers as official early figures and check every practical detail with your own pension-paying office.