UPSC EPFO
Recruits Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners (Group A) and, in some cycles, Enforcement Officers / Accounts Officers (Group B) for the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Eligibility
You need a bachelor's degree from a recognised university. A diploma in Company Law, Labour Laws or Public Administration is desirable but not required. The upper age limit is 35 years for APFC (30 years for EO/AO when advertised) as on the closing date, with relaxation for OBC (3 years), SC/ST (5 years) and PwBD (10 years). There is no limit on attempts.
Age limit: Max 35 years for APFC, 30 years for EO/AO (General/EWS); relaxation as per rules
Exam pattern
Selection has two stages: a Recruitment Test (RT) and an interview. The RT is a single 2-hour objective paper on an OMR sheet, offline, in English and Hindi. Each wrong answer costs one-third of the question's marks. The test and interview are weighted 75:25 in the final merit. Candidates are called for interview at a ratio of about 5 per vacancy, based on test marks.
Syllabus at a glance
The syllabus has nine heads: General English; Indian culture, heritage and the freedom struggle; developments and current trends in the Indian economy; governance and the Constitution; general science and basic computer applications; elementary mathematics, statistics and general mental ability; industrial relations, the Labour Codes and social security in India; principles of accountancy, auditing and insurance; and current events. The 2026 notice replaced 'Labour Laws' with the four Labour Codes.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| APFC 2026 e-admit card release | About a week before the exam (mid-Dec 2026) | expected |
| APFC 2026 Recruitment Test (Advt. No. 52/2026, 80 posts) | 20 Dec 2026 (Sunday) | confirmed |
| APFC 2026 Recruitment Test result | Feb-Apr 2027 (expected) | expected |
| APFC 2026 interviews | 2027 (UPSC to notify) | tba |
| Next EO/AO recruitment notification | Not announced (2026 EO/AO requisition withdrawn) | tba |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Indian Polity - M. Laxmikanth
- A Brief History of Modern India - Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum)
- Indian Economy - Ramesh Singh
- Industrial Relations and Labour Laws - S.C. Srivastava
- Fundamentals of Auditing - Kamal Gupta and Ashok Arora
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations - R.S. Aggarwal
How toppers play it
- Labour Codes and social security are the distinctive, high-scoring section. Learn the four Codes (Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions) and the EPF, EPS and EDLI provisions in detail.
- Accountancy, auditing and insurance questions are basic and repeat in pattern. Two to three weeks on Class 11-12 accountancy fundamentals and insurance basics gives a reliable scoring edge.
- With a one-third mark penalty and a short paper, avoid blind guesses in GS. Attempt English, mathematics and statistics questions fully, as they are the most accurate.
- The interview carries 25% weight. Prepare for questions on the EPFO's role, recent reforms (such as auto-settlement of claims and UAN changes) and the Labour Codes from day one, not after the result.
- Solve all APFC and EO/AO papers from 2012 onwards. Questions on the freedom struggle and the economy follow a recognisable pattern.