Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS)?

1. A

   Resident Indian citizens only

   (a) Resident Indian citizens only. NPS also admits certain non-residents and is not confined to residents only. Not the key.

2. B

   Persons of age from 21 to 55 only

   (b) Persons of age from 21 to 55 only. Entry-age bands have been wider (and later widened again); 21–55 only is too tight. Not the key.

3. C

   All State Government employees joining the services after the date of notification by the respective State Governments

   (c) All State Government employees joining after the date of notification by the respective State Governments. States that notify NPS enrol new recruits from that date. This is the official key.

4. D

   All Central Government employees including those of Armed Forces joining the services on or after 1st April, 2004

   (d) All Central Government employees including Armed Forces joining on or after 1 April 2004. New Central civil recruits went to NPS, but the Armed Forces stayed on their own pension system. The ‘including Armed Forces’ phrase makes this false.

Summary. Official key is (c) all State Government employees joining after the State’s notification date. NPS replaced the defined-benefit pension for new Central civil employees from 1 January 2004 (operationally from April 2004) and for States that opted in from their notification. Armed Forces were not pushed into NPS on that 2004 civil-service clock. Residence-only and a rigid 21–55 window misstate eligibility. PFRDA regulates NPS.