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UPSC EPFO Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner Recruitment (Advt 52/2025): syllabus and eligibility

UPSC EPFO APFC key facts
Conducting bodyUnion Public Service Commission (UPSC). Official website ↗
PostsAssistant Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (Level 10)
QualificationA degree from a recognised university or an equivalent. A diploma in company law, labour laws or public administration is listed as desirable, not essential.
Age limitUp to 35 years on 18 August 2025 (closing date of the advertisement) (general category)
DomicileNot required
Selection stagesCombined Recruitment Test (pen and paper, objective) → Interview → Final merit: test and interview marks weighted 75:25
Latest notificationUPSC Recruitment Special Advertisement No. 52/2025 (EPFO EO/AO and APFC) · 74 vacancies

Last checked . Sources

About UPSC EPFO APFC

The Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner is a senior officer post in the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation. Special Advertisement 52/2025 had 74 vacancies at Level 10 of the pay matrix. APFC candidates take the same Combined Recruitment Test as the EO/AO posts, and UPSC's September 2026 notice lists 256 candidates shortlisted for the APFC interview.

Eligibility

Age limit

General category: Up to 35 years, counted on 18 August 2025 (closing date of the advertisement).

Age relaxation

  • OBC: 3 years
  • SC: 5 years
  • PwBD: 10 years
  • Ex-servicemen: 5 years
  • Upper age limit: 35 for UR and EWS, 38 for OBC, 40 for SC, 35 for ST and 45 for PwBD.
  • The ST limit stays at 35 because the category-wise relaxation applies only to reserved vacancies, and none were reserved for ST in this advertisement.
  • EPFO employees and central government servants get up to 5 years.
  • Ex-servicemen and ECOs/SSCOs get up to 5 years, as set out in the general instructions attached to the advertisement.

Qualification

A degree from a recognised university or an equivalent. A diploma in company law, labour laws or public administration is listed as desirable, not essential.

Other conditions

  • Probation is two years.
  • Officers can be posted anywhere in India.

Selection process

  1. Combined Recruitment Test (pen and paper, objective)
  2. Interview
  3. Final merit: test and interview marks weighted 75:25

Exam pattern

Combined Recruitment Test

Mode: Pen and paper, objective multiple choice, in English and Hindi · Duration: 2 hours · Negative marking: One third of the marks for a question is cut for each wrong answer. A blank question has no penalty.

SUBJECT
One paper covering the nine syllabus areas; all questions carry equal marks

Interview

SUBJECT
Interview (25% weight in final merit)

UPSC EPFO APFC syllabus

Combined Recruitment Test

  • General English: understanding and correct use of words
  • Indian culture, heritage and freedom movement
  • Development issues and current trends in the Indian economy
  • Governance and the Constitution of India
  • General science and basic computer applications
  • Elementary mathematics, statistics and general mental ability
  • Industrial relations, labour laws and social security in India
  • Principles of accountancy, auditing and insurance
  • Current events of national and international importance

What they ask

APFC uses the same two-hour objective test as the EO/AO posts, in English and Hindi, with equal marks per question and a one-third penalty for wrong answers. Specialist areas such as labour laws, social security, accountancy and auditing sit alongside general studies and current events. The interview carries 25% of the final weight. In the 2025 cycle, 256 candidates were shortlisted for the interview against 74 posts.

How to prepare

  • Treat labour laws and social security as your core subject, since the advertisement lists enforcement, recovery, legal and pension work among APFC duties.
  • Cover accountancy and auditing basics well enough to answer objective questions quickly.
  • Prepare for the interview alongside the test, because it carries a quarter of the final weight.
  • Practise full two-hour mock tests and track how many marks you lose to the one-third penalty.
  • Revise the general studies areas with daily topic-wise practice quizzes on the free Improvam app.

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Previous papers and answer keys

UPSC EPFO APFC FAQs

In Advertisement 52/2025 it was 35 for UR, EWS and ST, 38 for OBC, 40 for SC, and 45 for PwBD candidates, counted on the closing date.

Sources

Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.

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