National Pension Scheme Fund Screener (Sep 2026): How to shortlist consistently performing NPS schemes

# What this screener does Scheme (NPS) Fund Screener published by Freefincal is a spreadsheet tool designed to help you find NPS schemes that consistently outperform their category benchmarks while managing downside risk. It compares scheme returns to benchmark/index returns over every possible 1‑ to 5‑year rolling period and produces simple, actionable measures for consistency, reward, and risk protection.

# Benchmarks used The screener uses specific benchmarks by category. Examples in the screener include:

• Equity: N200TRI, N50TRI
• Corporate bond: CRISIL Composite Index, CRISIL HYBRID 85:15
• Gilt: IBEX (I‑Sec Sovereign Bond Index)
• Government: CRISIL HYBRID 85:15, IBEX

# Key outputs and what they mean

• Upside performance consistency: The percentage of periods where the fund outperformed the benchmark when the benchmark was rising. This measures reward capture in up markets.
• Downside protection consistency: The percentage of periods where the fund beat the benchmark when the benchmark was falling. This measures risk protection in down markets.

# How to use the screener step by step

1. 1Open the screener and select the NPS category you want to evaluate (equity, corporate bond, government, etc.).
2. 2Set rolling‑window filters: choose which durations matter to you (1Y, 3Y, 5Y). Many users prefer 3–5 year horizons for greater reliability.
3. 3Apply consistency thresholds: start with rolling outperformance consistency >= 60% and downside protection >= 60% as example cutoffs and adjust to your tolerance.

# Practical cautions

• Tailor filters to your goals: stricter thresholds reduce the shortlist but increase the probability of persistence in performance metrics.

# Quick decision checklist

• Choose horizon (3Y or 5Y recommended for pension products).
• Require rolling outperformance consistency above 60% for a reasonable signal.
• Prefer schemes with both upside and downside consistency scores above your chosen threshold.
• If you want lower volatility, add excess risk < 0 as a filter.

The screener is intended as a practical selection aid to identify NPS schemes that have historically delivered higher returns than their benchmarks while offering downside protection. Use it alongside other checks such as fund portfolio, fees, and regulatory updates before investing.