UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2025 for EO/AO, Check Exam Pattern

UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2025

The UPSC EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation) Exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruitment to posts such as EO/AO (Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer) and APFC (Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner). The exam pattern and syllabus are defined by UPSC.

Here’s the detailed syllabus for the UPSC EPFO Exam:

UPSC EPFO Syllabus for EO/AO & APFC (General)

1. General English

• Vocabulary

• Grammar and usage

• Comprehension

• Error spotting

• Fill in the blanks

• Synonyms & antonyms

2. Indian Freedom Struggle

• Major movements and leaders

• Role of the Indian National Congress

• Revolt of 1857

• Moderates and Extremists

• Mahatma Gandhi and related movements

3. Current Events and Developmental Issues

• National & International current affairs

• Government schemes and policies

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

4. Indian Polity and Economy

• Constitution of India

• Political system

• Panchayati Raj

• Public Policy

• Rights issues

• Economic development

• Budget, taxation & planning

5. General Accounting Principles

• Basic accounting terms

• Journal, ledger, trial balance

• Cash flow, fund flow

• Depreciation and inventory valuation

6. Industrial Relations and Labour Laws

• Trade unions

• Labour welfare

• Social security laws

• Wage laws

• Important acts like:

  • Factories Act

  • Payment of Wages Act

  • EPF Act

  • ESI Act

  • Industrial Disputes Act

7. General Science and Knowledge of Computer Applications

• Basic Physics, Chemistry, Biology

• Scientific developments

• Computer fundamentals

• Internet and MS Office

• Data interpretation and IT tools

8. General Mental Ability and Quantitative Aptitude

• Logical reasoning

• Coding-decoding

• Analogy

• Data interpretation

• Basic arithmetic (profit & loss, time & work, percentages)

9. Social Security in India

• Social security laws & schemes

• EPFO, ESIC

• PFRDA, NPS

• Role of international bodies like ILO

UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC Exam – Subject-Wise Syllabus

1. General English

• Topics: Grammar, Vocabulary, Synonyms/Antonyms, Comprehension, Sentence Correction, Idioms and Phrases, Fill in the Blanks, Active & Passive Voice.

• Weightage: 10–15 Questions

2. Indian Freedom Struggle

• Topics: Revolt of 1857, Moderates & Extremists, Indian National Congress, Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience, Quit India Movement, Role of Gandhiji.

• Weightage: 5–10 Questions

3. Current Events and Developmental Issues

• Topics: National & International News, Government Schemes, Economy, Social Issues, Summits & Reports, Sustainable Development Goals.

• Weightage: 5–8 Questions

4. Indian Polity and Economy

• Topics: Constitution, Fundamental Rights & Duties, Parliament, President, PM & Cabinet, Judiciary, Budget, RBI, Fiscal Policy.

• Weightage: 8–12 Questions

5. General Accounting Principles

• Topics: Basics of Accounting, Journal Entries, Trial Balance, Depreciation, BRS, P&L Account, Balance Sheet, Cost Accounting.

• Weightage: 8–10 Questions

6. Industrial Relations & Labour Laws

• Topics: Trade Unions Act, Minimum Wages Act, EPF Act, ESI Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Social Security Acts.

• Weightage: 10–12 Questions

7. General Science and Knowledge of Computer Applications

• General Science Topics: Physics, Chemistry, Biology – Basics & Application.

• Computer Topics: MS Office, Internet, Hardware, Software, Cybersecurity.

• Weightage: 8–10 Questions

8. General Mental Ability and Quantitative Aptitude

• Topics: Number Series, Simplification, Ratio, Time & Work, Profit & Loss, Percentages, Puzzles, Blood Relations, Coding-Decoding.

• Weightage: 10–15 Questions

9. Social Security in India

• Topics: Social Security Schemes, Role of EPFO, Pension Schemes, Insurance Schemes, Code on Social Security.

• Weightage: 8–10 Questions

Subject-Wise Approximate Weightage Summary

Exam Pattern for UPSC EPFO (EO/AO & APFC)

• Negative marking: 1/3rd for each wrong answer

• Medium: English and Hindi (except English section)

Best Books to Cover UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2025

curated list of best books to cover the UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC Exam syllabus for 2025, section-wise. The exam generally covers the following areas:

General English

• Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi (Arihant)

• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

• Previous year papers for comprehension and grammar practice.

Indian Freedom Struggle & Indian Polity

• Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth

• A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum Publications

• NCERTs: History (Class 8–12), especially Themes in Indian History

Indian Economy & Accounting Principles

• Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh (McGraw Hill)

• NCERT Economics (Class 11 & 12 – Macroeconomics)

• T.S. Grewal’s Accountancy (Class 11 and 12) – Basic accounting concepts

General Science & Computer Applications

• Lucent’s General Science

• Objective Computer Awareness by Arihant Experts

• Basic NCERT Science (Class 6–10) + current developments in science and tech

General Mental Ability & Quantitative Aptitude

• Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal

• A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal

• Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma

Social Security in India & Labour Laws (Specific to EPFO)

• Social Security in India – IGNOU Booklets or EPFO Reports

• Introduction to Labour Laws by S.N. Mishra

• Bare Acts of important labour laws (e.g., EPF Act, ESI Act, Maternity Benefit Act)

Current Events and General Awareness

• Daily Newspaper: The Hindu or Indian Express

• Monthly Magazine: Vision IAS / Drishti / Kurukshetra / Yojana

• Manorama Yearbook or Lucent’s General Knowledge for static GK

Bonus: Previous Year Papers & Mock Tests

• UPSC EPFO EO/AO/APFC Previous Year Papers – by Arihant or Adda247

• Online Mock Test Series – Testbook, Unacademy, or BYJU’s Exam Prep

FAQs

1. What is the syllabus for the UPSC EPFO Exam?

The syllabus broadly includes:

• General English

• Indian Freedom Struggle

• Current Events

• Indian Polity & Economy

• General Accounting Principles

• Industrial Relations & Labour Laws

• General Science & Knowledge of Computer Applications

• General Mental Ability & Quantitative Aptitude

• Social Security in India

2. Is there a separate paper for English?

No, General English is part of the written test and assesses vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and usage.

3. What topics are covered under Indian Polity and Economy?

This section includes:

• Constitution of India

• Political system

• Public administration

• Economic planning

• Economic development

• Inflation, banking, and public finance

4. Is the exam conducted online or offline?

The Recruitment Test (RT) is conducted offline (pen and paper-based).

5. What is the exam pattern of the UPSC EPFO written test?

• Mode: Offline

• Type: Objective (MCQs)

• Duration: 2 hours

• Total Marks: 300

• Negative Marking: Yes (⅓ mark deduction for wrong answers)

• Medium: Bilingual (Hindi and English, except English section)

6. How important is Labour Law for this exam?

Very important. Industrial Relations and Labour Laws is a crucial part of the syllabus and often contains many scoring questions.

7. Is there any interview after the written test?

Yes, candidates who qualify the written test are called for an Interview/Personality Test conducted by UPSC.

8. How should I prepare for the General Science and Computer Applications section?

Focus on:

• Basic science concepts from NCERT (Class 6–10)

• Computer fundamentals (MS Office, Internet, Basics of Hardware & Software)

9. Do current affairs play a big role in this exam?

Yes. Regular reading of newspapers, monthly magazines, and government schemes is essential for Current Events and Social Security.

10. Are there any specific books recommended for EPFO preparation?

Some popular books:

• Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth

• Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh

• NCERTs for History, Geography, Science

• Lucent’s General Knowledge

• Previous Year Papers & Test Series