UPSC EPFO Syllabus 2026

UPSC EPFO exam pattern 2026

A single objective written paper followed by an interview. APFC and EO/AO are now conducted as one written examination.

Please confirm the marks scheme against the official UPSC notification. Coaching websites currently disagree on whether the written paper totals 200 or 300 marks. We will not guess: check the notification PDF on upsc.gov.in, and we will update this page once the Commission’s figure is confirmed.

UPSC EPFO syllabus 2026 — subject by subject

1. General English

• Reading comprehension, cloze test, error detection.
• Fill in the blanks, sentence and para completion, phrase replacement.
• Para jumbles, synonyms and antonyms, phrases and idioms, spellings.

2. Indian Freedom Struggle

• British expansion — Carnatic Wars, annexation of Bengal, Mysore and its resistance, Anglo-Maratha Wars, early structure of the British Raj.
• The Revolt of 1857, socio-religious reform movements, rise of nationalism.
• Indian National Congress, moderates and extremists, Swadeshi movement, Home Rule.
• Gandhian phase — Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India, and the road to independence and partition.

3. Current Events and Developmental Issues

• National and international current affairs, government schemes and flagship programmes.
• Developmental issues, social sector initiatives, reports and indices.

4. Indian Polity and Economy

• Constitution, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, Union and State government, judiciary, constitutional bodies, Panchayati Raj.
• Indian economy — planning, budget, fiscal and monetary policy, banking, inflation, taxation and GST, growth and employment.

5. General Accounting Principles

• Basic accounting concepts and conventions, journal, ledger and trial balance.
• Final accounts, bank reconciliation, depreciation, rectification of errors.
• Accounting standards in outline, and government accounting basics.

6. Industrial Relations and Labour Laws

• Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
• Industrial Disputes Act, Factories Act, Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act, Payment of Gratuity Act, Employees’ State Insurance Act.
• The four Labour Codes, trade unions, collective bargaining, industrial relations machinery.

7. General Science and Knowledge of Computer Applications

• Everyday physics, chemistry and biology; health, nutrition and disease.
• Computer fundamentals, hardware and software, operating systems, MS Office, internet and email, cyber security basics, e-governance.

8. General Mental Ability and Quantitative Aptitude

• Number series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, syllogism, Venn diagrams.
• Percentage, ratio and proportion, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time speed and distance, averages, mensuration.
• Data interpretation and data sufficiency.

9. Social Security in India

• Concept and evolution of social security; the ILO and international conventions.
• EPFO — structure, functions and schemes: EPF, EPS and EDLI.
• ESIC, pension schemes, Atal Pension Yojana, PM-SYM and other social security initiatives.
• The Code on Social Security, 2020, and unorganised sector workers.

UPSC EPFO selection process

Two stages. The recruitment test shortlists candidates; the interview decides the final merit alongside it.

Stage 1 — Recruitment Test. Objective, multiple choice, 120 minutes, with one third negative marking. Carries 75 per cent of the final merit.

Stage 2 — Interview. 100 marks, carrying 25 per cent of the final merit. There is no fixed syllabus. Prepare on four fronts: your personality and communication, knowledge of EPFO and the role itself, current affairs and socio-economic issues, and questions arising from your educational or work background.

Frequently asked questions