Corporate Compliance 17 September 2026
India Boosts EPFO Wage Ceiling to Rs 25k, Calls for Parental Leave Reform
The cabinet has approved raising the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) wage ceiling from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, adding roughly one crore workers to mandatory coverage and aligning the limit with recent minimum‑wage hikes. Simultaneously policy analysts argue that India should replace its maternity‑leave‑only model with a broader parental‑leave framework to share caregiving responsibilities and improve social equity.
- EPFO wage ceiling raised: The cabinet increased the EPFO wage cap to Rs 25,000, expanding mandatory coverage by about one crore employees and matching recent minimum‑wage growth. Read more
- Call for parental‑leave reform: Experts say India should shift from a maternity‑only leave system to a comprehensive parental‑leave policy that treats caregiving as a shared social responsibility. Read analysis
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