Suresh, a contractual employee under a central government scheme, needed his salary slip for a bank loan application. His office accountant was on leave. HR said “check PFMS yourself.”
He had never logged into PFMS before. First attempt — wrong password format. Second attempt — used his PAN number as User ID and date of birth as password (ddmmyyyy format). Logged in. Found his pay slip in 90 seconds.
PFMS (Public Financial Management System) — managed by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Tracks fund flow for government salaries, scholarships, pensions, and DBT benefits. Central government employees, contractual staff under government schemes, and DDO/PAO-linked staff can view and download monthly salary slips directly.
Official Portal: pfms.nic.in
Quick Answer: Login: pfms.nic.in → Login → User ID = PAN number → Password = DOB (ddmmyyyy) for first login Pay Slip Path: Employee Information System (EIS) → Pay Related → View Pay Slip → Select Year/Month First login: Password change mandatory — alphanumeric + 1 special character Forgot login: Contact your DDO/PAO office — not self-service for most users
Who Can Access Pay Slip on PFMS?
| Category | Access |
|---|---|
| Central government employees | ✅ Yes |
| Contractual staff (govt schemes) | ✅ Yes — if payroll routed via PFMS |
| DDO-linked employees | ✅ Yes |
| State government employees | ❌ Usually no — state has separate systems |
| Private sector employees | ❌ Not applicable |
If your salary/honorarium comes through a government scheme using PFMS for disbursement — you likely have access.
⭐ Login — User ID and Password Explained
Most confusing part — clarified:
User ID = Your PAN Number (as registered at the time of employment/registration) Password (first login) = Date of Birth in ddmmyyyy format (no slashes)
Example: If DOB is 15 August 1990 → Password = 15081990
Mandatory after first login: System forces password change. New password must be alphanumeric with at least one special character. After changing, log in again with the new password.
How to Download Pay Slip — Step by Step
Step 1: Open pfms.nic.in
Step 2: Click “Login” (top right)
Step 3: Select login type:
- Employee (most individual users select this)
- DDO / PAO (for office-level administrative login)
Step 4: Enter:
- User ID = PAN number
- Password = DOB (first time) or your changed password
- Captcha code
Step 5: After login → Click “Employee Information System (EIS)”
Step 6: EIS Dashboard → “Go to EIS” → “Pay Related”
Step 7: Click “View Pay Slip”
Step 8: Select Pay Year and Pay Month
Step 9: Click “View Pay Slip” → PDF appears → Download / Print
What’s Inside the Pay Slip
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Basic Salary | Core pay component |
| Allowances | HRA, DA, TA, and other applicable allowances |
| Deductions | PF, Income Tax (TDS), professional tax, other recoveries |
| Net Salary | Amount actually credited to bank |
| Bank Details | Account number where salary was credited |
| Employee Code | Unique PFMS identifier |
| PAN/Aadhaar | Identity reference |
Useful for: loan applications, income tax filing, rental agreements, visa applications.
⭐ Forgot Login Details — What Actually Works
Important — PFMS is NOT fully self-service for most users:
“Forgot Password” link exists on login page — works for some user types. But: If you’ve lost your registered mobile number or email, you cannot self-reset. Correct process: Visit your office’s DDO (Drawing and Disbursing Officer) or accounts section. They will verify your identity and either reset access or issue a new activation link.
For contractual/field staff specifically:
Self-reset rarely works — always contact your scheme’s accounts officer directly.
DDO vs PAO vs Employee Login — What’s the Difference?
| Login Type | Who Uses It |
|---|---|
| Employee | Individual staff checking their own pay slip |
| DDO (Drawing and Disbursing Officer) | Office-level — manages staff payroll data entry |
| PAO (Pay & Accounts Office) | Higher administrative level — for non-merged DDOs, manages GPF/payroll oversight |
As an individual employee — always select “Employee” login type. DDO/PAO logins are for administrative office staff only.
Retired or Left the Organisation?
If you’ve left your position or retired — your PFMS profile typically needs formal closure. Contact your former DDO/accounts office to request profile deactivation or final pay slip access. Do not assume automatic access continues after relieving.
Common Problems + Fix
“PAN number not accepted as User ID”: Verify PAN is exactly as registered during employment (check for typos, case sensitivity not usually an issue but spacing matters). If still failing — contact DDO.
“DOB password not working for first login”: Format must be ddmmyyyy with no slashes or dashes — e.g., 15081990, not 15/08/1990.
“Pay slip not showing for my month”: Salary may not yet be processed in PFMS for that period. Check with DDO/accounts section regarding processing delay.
“No pay slip option visible after login”: Not all PFMS users have payroll module access — depends on whether your salary specifically routes through PFMS payroll. Confirm with your accounts officer.
“Site loading slow or timing out”: Try early morning (before 10 AM) or evening (after 6 PM) — PFMS experiences heavy traffic during office hours.
“Logged in but EIS option missing”: Your account type may not have EIS access enabled. Contact DDO to enable Employee Information System access for your profile.
FAQ
What is the User ID for PFMS login? Your PAN number, as registered during employment setup in PFMS.
What is the first-time password for PFMS? Date of birth in ddmmyyyy format (no slashes). System requires password change immediately after.
Can I reset PFMS password myself? Partially — “Forgot Password” works in some cases. If mobile/email is outdated, you must go through your DDO/accounts office.
Where exactly is “View Pay Slip” located? After login → Employee Information System (EIS) → Pay Related → View Pay Slip → Select Year and Month.
Is PFMS available for state government employees? Generally no — most state governments use separate payroll systems (e.g., HRMS, Koshvani). PFMS mainly serves central government and centrally-sponsored scheme payroll.
Official Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| PFMS Portal | pfms.nic.in |
| EIS FAQ (Official) | pfms.nic.in/CentralEIS/faq |
| CGA (Parent Body) | cga.nic.in |
Suresh got his pay slip in 90 seconds once he knew PAN was the login ID and DOB the first password. Bank loan documentation completed the same day.
Government employees and contractual staff paid via PFMS — log in with your PAN, change your password, and download your pay slip directly. No need to wait on HR or accounts every month.
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