Are E-Signatures Legally Valid for EPF Form 11, or Is Simple Acceptance Enough?

Dear Members,

I seek clarification on whether e-signatures are valid for EPF Form 11 or if simple acceptance (via email/HR portal) is sufficient.

Key Queries:

1) Is an employee's e-signature (Aadhaar eSign, DSC, Zoho Sign, etc.) legally valid for Form 11 submission?

2) Does EPFO require a physical signature, or is an e-signature acceptable?

3) Are there any official EPFO circulars addressing this?

4) Is e-sign mandatory, or would mere acceptance be considered valid?

Would appreciate insights from HR professionals or legal experts.

Form 11 Submission Requirements

No physical form from the employees' side needs to be submitted to the EPFO. Form 11 declaration is a statement by the employee intended to be available in the employee's personal file, which is kept in the employer's office only and not to be uploaded elsewhere by the employer. Therefore, the employer can accept Form 11 either electronically signed or digitally signed by the employee.

Is a clickwrap agreement considered a valid form of acceptance for Form 11?

This seems to be a well-structured and correctly written query. There are no spelling or grammatical errors to correct.