Retirement AdviserCertification Guide.
Covers NPS, APY, EPF/PPF, annuities, retirement asset allocation, and PFRDA regulations. Mandatory for NPS distribution staff.
Difficulty
Beginner
Suggested prep: 10-15 days
Negative marking
25%
Avoid blind guessing.
Validity
3 years
Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Priority
Rank 19
Retirement track
What this certification is really testing.
This template pulls directly from the NISM database so the article stays factual, structured, and easy to scan before you register.
Ideal for
Bank employees distributing NPS
Retirement planning specialists
PFRDA Points of Presence staff
Career paths
NPS Distributor
Retirement Planning Advisor
Bank RM NPS/Pension Products
Mandatory for
NPS Points of Presence (POP) and POP-SPs (Service Providers)
Bank/NBFC staff distributing NPS
Study by chapter weightage, not by guesswork.
The highest scoring chapters carry 83% of the paper. Start there, then use the low-weight chapters for polish.
High-weightage focus
National Pension System (NPS)
20%Retirement Products EPF, PPF, Annuities
15%Retirement Planning Overview
12%Taxation of Retirement Income
12%Asset Allocation for Retirement
12%Regulatory Framework PFRDA
12%Key concepts to remember
NPS: National Pension System regulated by PFRDA (not SEBI)
NPS Tier 1: Retirement account with lock-in till 60, Tax benefit under 80CCD(1B) additional Rs. 50,000
NPS Tier 2: Voluntary savings account, no lock-in (except for govt employees claiming tax benefit)
Asset classes in NPS: E (Equity), C (Corporate Bonds), G (Govt Securities), A (Alternative investments)
APY: Atal Pension Yojana guaranteed pension of Rs. 1,000-Rs. 5,000/month for unorganized sector
At maturity (60 years): 60% lump sum (tax-free) + 40% mandatory annuity purchase
PPF: Public Provident Fund 15-year lock-in, EEE tax status, current interest ~7.1%
EPF: Employee Provident Fund 12% employer + 12% employee contribution
A clear way to study this module.
Use the database strategy as the practical order of attack: official workbook first, high-weightage chapters next, then mocks and exam-day control.
Study strategy
Focus on NPS (Ch 2, 20%) the core chapter of this certification
Retirement Products (Ch 4, 15%) know EPF, PPF, annuities, NPS differences
Asset Allocation for Retirement (Ch 6, 12%) changing allocation as retirement nears
PFRDA Regulations (Ch 7, 12%) know Point of Presence (POP) requirements
Exam-day tips
Standard format 100 MCQs, 120 minutes
NPS-specific questions dominate know Tier 1 vs Tier 2, asset classes, tax benefits
0.25 negative marking be cautious with tax provision questions
Questions often compare NPS with PPF and EPF know the key differences
Scoring warning
The pass mark is simple. The paper is not.
Because this paper has negative marking, precision matters more than speed. Attempt the sure questions first, then return to calculations and close-call options.
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