Kerala launches India's first elder-friendly office certification scheme

Kerala has become the first Indian state to introduce a dedicated certification scheme aimed at enhancing accessibility and service delivery for elderly citizens in government offices. The Elder-Friendly Office Certification (EFOC) programme represents a significant step toward age-inclusive governance across the southern state.

Under the new framework, government offices will be evaluated on five key domains designed to assess their readiness in serving senior citizens effectively. Based on performance in these assessment areas, institutions will receive Gold, Silver, or Bronze certification, creating a tiered recognition system to incentivize continuous improvement in elder-friendly practices.

The pilot phase of the certification programme is scheduled to commence during the current financial year, allowing the state to test and refine the framework before broader implementation. Officials expect the initiative to set a benchmark for other states in addressing the specific needs of India's ageing population within the public administrative system.

The move reflects growing recognition that government offices must adapt their operations, infrastructure, and service protocols to accommodate elderly citizens who represent an increasingly significant portion of the population seeking government services.