India, Sept. 12 -- For millions of salaried workers, the Employees' Provident Fund is meant to build a retirement cushion, but financial emergencies often arrive long before retirement. The new EPF Scheme 2026 gives members a simpler framework to access part of that money for medical treatment, education, marriage, housing and other specified needs.

The revised system groups the earlier withdrawal provisions into broader categories and keeps 25% of the total PF balance protected, while allowing members to access the remaining eligible amount subject to the applicable conditions.

The new framework came into effect with the Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026, replacing the earlier framework and simplifying partial withdrawals. EPFO h...