Avoid delays
Why Pension & ECHS Claims Get Rejected
Not general advice — the specific, named errors from PCDA's own circular on common pension-claim mistakes, plus the documented reasons ECHS reimbursement claims get returned.
Service / superannuation pension
Reasons your own claim gets delayed
Incomplete LPC-Cum-Data Sheet verification
The single most common error: only your pay particulars get verified when every column of the sheet needs to be. Avoid it: ask your Head of Office to confirm every column is verified, not just the pay section, before submission.
Bank account number has unwanted prefixes or leading zeros
Named specifically in PCDA's circular as a distinct cause of delay — separate from the account simply being wrong. Avoid it: copy your account number directly from a passbook or cheque, not from memory, and double-check no extra digits crept in.
Multiple Pension Disbursing Authorities listed
Your claim should name a single, clear Pension Disbursing Authority — not several. Avoid it: confirm with your Record Office that only one PDA (usually your bank branch) is listed on the form.
No-demand certificate for government accommodation missing
If you occupied government quarters, this certificate confirms you owe nothing on them. PCDA's circular notes this specifically risks ₹1 lakh being withheld from your settlement if missing. Avoid it: clear and obtain this certificate before you vacate, not after.
Commutation application left incomplete
Specific columns of the commutation application are commonly left blank. Avoid it: if you're commuting part of your pension, review the entire form line by line — don't assume a section is "not applicable" without checking.
Medical allowance option not recorded
Whether you're opting for Fixed Medical Allowance or ECHS coverage needs to be explicitly recorded on your form. Avoid it: confirm your medical option is filled in — don't leave it for someone else to assume.
Address missing PIN code, or district name omitted
Small, easy to miss, and specifically called out in the circular as a recurring error. Avoid it: re-read your address fields as if a stranger has to find you by post alone.
Family pension
Reasons a family's claim gets returned
See also our guide to family pension after the death of a pensioner for the full process.
Death certificate or casualty notification missing
The foundational document — without it, nothing else in the claim can proceed. Avoid it: obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate early; you'll need it for several parallel processes, not just this one.
Original DCRG nomination not on file
The Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity nomination needs to be the original on record, not a copy supplied after the fact. Avoid it: check with the Record Office in advance whether a valid nomination is already on file.
Marital status certificate not countersigned by Head of Office
A self-declared marital status isn't sufficient — it needs official countersignature. Avoid it: route this specific certificate through the HOO before submission, not alongside it.
Date of birth mismatch with service book records
If a dependant's recorded DOB doesn't match the pensioner's service book, or dependency is attributed to relatives rather than parents incorrectly, the claim stalls. Avoid it: cross-check every dependant's DOB against the service book before submitting, not after a query comes back.
Disabled dependant: missing medical board certificate or income certificate
A claim for a disabled dependant specifically needs a medical board certificate detailing the permanent, incurable condition and inability to earn a livelihood, plus an income certificate from the Head of Office. Avoid it: start the medical board process early — it's the slowest document in this list. See our disability pension guide.
ECHS reimbursement
Reasons a medicine or treatment claim gets rejected
Missing "Not Available" endorsement
Buying medicine outside ECHS requires proof the polyclinic genuinely didn't stock it — an explicit "Not Available" note on the prescription. Avoid it: get this endorsement at the polyclinic counter before you leave, not as an afterthought.
Unsigned prescription, or purchase from a non-empanelled pharmacy
Both are automatic rejection grounds. Avoid it: check the prescribing doctor has signed, and buy only from a pharmacy on ECHS's empanelled list.
Medicine purchased doesn't match what was prescribed
A substituted brand or dosage, even if pharmacologically equivalent, can trigger rejection. Avoid it: if the pharmacy wants to substitute, go back to the prescribing doctor for an updated prescription first.
Submitted after the claim window
Reimbursement claims have a submission deadline from the date of purchase. Avoid it: submit as soon as you have all documents rather than batching multiple purchases together.
Source & accuracy
Pension-claim errors are drawn from a PCDA (Pensions), Allahabad circular on common mistakes in pension and family pension claims, accessed via its reproduction on gconnect.in — PCDA's own site (pcdapension.nic.in) was unreachable at time of research. ECHS reasons are compiled from ECHS's published claim-documentation requirements. This list is illustrative of the most pensioner-actionable errors, not exhaustive — always confirm current form requirements with PCDA(P) or ECHS directly.
Last verified: 20 Aug 2026 Our sources Report an error
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