UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is gearing up for the highly anticipated Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) 2026 recruitment, offering lucrative opportunities for Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer (EO/AO) and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) roles. To ace this highly competitive examination, aspirants must build a robust study strategy grounded in a thorough understanding of the curriculum. The UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2026 tests a diverse range of disciplines, blending traditional civil services subjects like Polity and Economy with specialized domains such as Labour Laws, General Accounting Principles, and Social Security. Familiarizing yourself with the exact topics and exam structure is the crucial first step toward securing a position in this prestigious central government department.
UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2026: Overview
| Conducting Authority | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Target Organization | Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) |
| Posts Offered | Enforcement Officer (EO) / Accounts Officer (AO) & APFC |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Mode of Examination | Offline (OMR-based) |
| Question Type | Objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
Selection Criteria
- Recruitment Test (RT): An offline written examination consisting of objective-type questions. This test acts as a strict shortlisting mechanism.
- Personal Interview: Candidates who clear the cutoff in the Recruitment Test are invited for an interview. The interview carries a total of 100 marks and generally evaluates communication skills, understanding of the EPFO job role, and awareness of socio-economic issues. The final merit list is prepared by assigning a specific weightage (traditionally 75:25) to the written test and the interview.
UPSC EPFO Exam Pattern 2026
| Exam Feature | Details |
| Total Number of Questions | 120 Questions |
| Maximum Marks | 300 Marks |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Marking Scheme | 2.5 marks awarded for each correct answer |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd mark deducted for each wrong answer |
| Medium of Exam | Bilingual (English and Hindi) |
The UPSC EPFO exam pattern has objective-type questions with multiple choices. Once a candidate successfully qualifies for the written examination, he/she is called for further stages of the selection process, i.e., Written Exam, Interview, Document Verification, & Medical Examination.
UPSC EPFO 2026 Recruitment Test (RT) – Phase-1 (Offline Exam)
The Recruitment Test (RT) will be an Offline Exam (Pen & Paper Based) consisting of Objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
| UPSC EPFO 2026 Phase-1 | Marks | Duration |
| Recruitment Test (Offline) | 100 Marks | 2 Hours |
Note:
- The test will be two hours long.
- All questions will carry equal marks.
- The test will be objective-type questions with multiple choices of answers.
- The medium of the test will be both Hindi and English.
- 1/3rd marks will be deducted for wrong answers.
- PwD candidates shall be allowed compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour in the RT and facility of Scribe
UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2026
The syllabus encompasses 9 core subjects common to both EO/AO and APFC posts, with the APFC examination requiring preparation for a few additional, specialized subjects such as Auditing, Insurance, and Statistics. Below is the detailed, topic-wise breakdown to help you streamline your study materials.
UPSC EPFO 2026 Recruitment Test (RT) Syllabus – Phase-1 (Offline Exam)
The syllabus of the Test broadly comprises the following topics:
| Subject | Topics |
| General English | Questions will be designed to evaluate the candidate’s understanding of the English language and grammar, including topics such as Vocabulary Usage, Synonyms, acronyms, Grammar Usage, and Comprehension. |
| Indian Freedom Struggle | Revolt of 1857 – First War of Independence Against British; Causes of the Rise of Indian National Movement; Indian Nationalism – The Moderate Phase; Morley-Minto Reforms; Partition of Bengal 1905; Indian National Movement – Extremist Period; Important Indian Freedom Fighter; Revolutionaries in the Indian Freedom Movement; The Rise of Gandhi in Indian Freedom Struggle; The Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre; The Lucknow Pact, 1916; Non-Cooperation Movement; Home Rule Movement; Salt Satyagraha; Moplah Rebellion of 1921; Simon Commission; Swaraj Party; Gandhi-Irwin Pact; First Round Table Conference 1930; Poona Pact; Cripps Mission; Quit India Movement; Indian National Congress Sessions; Indian Independence Act 1947 |
| Current Events and Developmental Issues | Current Affairs (National & International); Sports; Awards and their importance; Politics; Finance and Banking sector; Population Census; Important Books and their writers; State Animals and Symbols; Name of the Scientist who got Noble Prize for important discoveries; Important Days; Important Inventions and their inventor |
| Indian Polity & Economy | Supreme Court; Meaning of Write; Election of President and his functions; Important constitution bodies like CAG; Facts about parliament; Fundamental Duties; Governor and his functions; State legislature; Major Constitutional amendments and their importance; Official Language; Emergency Provisions; National political parties and their symbols |
| General Accounting Principles | Accounting Concepts – Separate Entity Concept, Money Measurement Concept, Going Concern Concept, Dual Aspect Concern, Realisation Concept, Cost Concept, Accounting Period Concept, Matching Concept; Accounting Conventions – Conservatism, Consistency, Full Disclosure, Materiality |
| Industrial Relations & Labour Laws | Constitution of India: workers’ provisions; Laws for Female workers – Maternity Benefit Act, Vishaka Case, Factories Act, Equal Remuneration Act; Labor Laws in India – Trade Union Act, Minimum Wages Act, Strikes and lockouts, Industrial Disputes Act (IDA), Labour Courts, Industrial Tribunals, Workman’s Compensation Act, Employees State Insurance Act, Retirement Benefits, Emigration Act; Unorganised Labour; International Labour Organisation (ILO); Ministry of Labour in India – Important OFFICES/institutes with Labour Ministry, Work done by offices with labor ministry, Chief Labour Commissioner, Labour Bureau, Welfare Commissioners, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Board of Arbitration |
| General Science & Knowledge of Computer applications | Biology– Important and Interesting facts about human body parts, Nutrition in Animals and Plants, Diseases and their causes like Bacteria; Physics – S.I. units, Motion, Sound, Light, Wave, Energy, Electricity; Chemistry – Chemical Properties of Substance and their uses, Chemical Name of Important substances like Plaster of Paris, etc., Chemical Change and Physical Change, Properties of Gases, Surface Chemistry, Chemistry in every day life; Daily Science; Development of computers; Input and Output Devices; Memory; MS Office; Internet |
| General Mental Ability & Quantitative Aptitude | General Mental Ability – Sequence of figures, Series, Blood Relations, Directions, Syllogism, Seating Arrangement, Puzzle Test, Statement and Conclusion, Statement and Inferences, Data sufficiency Quantitative Aptitude – Algebra, HCF and LCM, Average, Mixtures and Alligation, Ratio and Proportion, Partnership, Percentage and its application, Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Time, Speed and Distance, Problems Based on Ages, Calendar and Clock, Probability, Permutations and Combinations |
| Social Security in India | Status of Social Security in India, Social Security schemes for Unorganised Sector; New Social Security Schemes launched covering social insurances like Pension, Health Insurance and Medical Benefits, Disability Benefit, Maternity Benefit, Gratuity; Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC); Atal Pension Yojna (APY); Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY); Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY); Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana; Pradhan Mantri Kisan Mandhan Yojana, etc. |
UPSC EPFO 2026 Recruitment Phase-2 Interview
| UPSC EPFO 2026 Phase-2 | Marks |
| Interview | 100 Marks |
The category-wise minimum level of suitability in interviews, irrespective of whether the selection is made only by interview or by Recruitment Test followed by the interview, will be UR-50 marks, OBC-45 marks, SC/ST/PH-40 marks, out of the total marks of the interview being 100.
In cases where selection is made by Recruitment Test (RT) followed by an interview, the candidate will have to achieve the minimum level of suitability in their respective category at both stages, i.e., ‘Recruitment Test’ and ‘Interview’. The minimum level of suitability in the case of RT shall be decided by the Commission on a case-to-case basis.
Candidates shortlisted for interviews based on the information provided in their online applications will be required to send self-attested copies of documents/relevant certificates supporting the claims made in the application as and when demanded by the Commission.
