EPFO APFC exam at a glance (as of 2 November 2026)
- Test date: 20 December 2026 (pen and paper), per Special Advertisement 52/2026.
- Duration and type: 2 hours, objective multiple choice, English and Hindi.
- Negative marking: one-third of the marks of a wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.
- Last paper (2025): 120 items, 300 marks, in two parts (Part A English, Part B bilingual).
- Weightage: test 300 + interview 100, ratio 75:25.
This page gives the official syllabus topics for the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) Recruitment Test, how the 2026 syllabus differs from 2025, and a seven-week plan for the 20 December test. The topics come straight from Appendix-I of UPSC’s Special Advertisement 52/2026.
EPFO APFC syllabus 2026 (official)
| No. | Topic area (as printed by UPSC) | What to cover |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General English | Grammar and usage, vocabulary, comprehension, cloze passages, sentence correction and word use |
| 2 | Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom Movements | Art and architecture, religion and philosophy, 1857, the national movement and its leaders |
| 3 | Developmental Issues and Present Trends in Indian Economy | Growth and development, planning, poverty and employment, budget, banking, external sector, recent economic trends |
| 4 | Governance and Constitution of India | Constitution, Fundamental Rights and DPSP, Union and State governments, Parliament, judiciary, local government, governance reforms |
| 5 | General Science and Basic Knowledge of Computer Applications | School-level physics, chemistry, biology; computer basics, office tools, internet and cyber safety |
| 6 | Elementary Mathematics, Statistics and General Mental Ability | Arithmetic, percentages, ratio, data interpretation, averages and basic statistics, reasoning |
| 7 | Industrial Relations, Labour Codes and Social Security in India | The four Labour Codes, industrial relations, social security schemes, EPFO, ESIC and related laws |
| 8 | Principles of Accountancy, Auditing and Insurance | Book-keeping, financial statements, auditing basics, insurance principles |
| 9 | Current Events of National and International Importance | Last 6–9 months: economy, polity, labour and social security, science, international events |
Note
- What changed from 2025: in the 2025 advertisement item 7 read ‘Industrial Relations, Labour Laws and Social Security in India’. The 2026 advertisement says ‘Labour Codes’, so prepare the four Labour Codes rather than the older separate Acts.
EPFO APFC exam pattern 2026
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Pen and paper Recruitment Test (RT) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Question type | Objective, multiple choice (four options) |
| Medium | English and Hindi (Part A of the 2025 paper, English language, was English only) |
| Marking | All questions carry equal marks; one-third of the marks deducted for each wrong answer |
| Total marks (2025 paper) | 300, from 120 items |
| Interview | 100 marks; RT : interview = 75 : 25 |
| Minimum for interview | General/EWS 50, OBC 45, SC/ST/PwBD 40 |
The 2025 test booklet confirms the numbers: 120 items, two hours, maximum 300 marks, which makes each question worth 2.5 marks and each wrong answer cost about 0.83 marks. The 2026 advertisement does not print the item count, so expect the same format unless UPSC says otherwise.
How to prepare for the EPFO APFC test in seven weeks
| Weeks | Focus | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Labour Codes, social security, EPFO, then Indian economy basics | Short notes on each code and scheme; 60 MCQs a day |
| 3–4 | Governance and Constitution, culture and freedom movements | One full topic list ticked off; revise the notes at the end of each week |
| 5 | English, mathematics and mental ability | Daily timed sets of 25 questions; keep an error log |
| 6 | Accountancy, auditing, insurance, science and computers | Short notes; formulae sheet; 40 MCQs a day |
| 7 | Full-length two-hour mocks and current affairs revision | Three mocks at 8–10 AM; analyse every wrong answer |
- Plan around negative marking. With a one-third penalty, a guess between two options is a fair bet, but a blind guess is not. Mark only what you can narrow down.
- Spend your first hours where the marks are easiest. Do the English and mathematics blocks you are fast at first, then the knowledge blocks.
- Use the real paper. Solve the 2025 UPSC paper once under exam conditions; the instructions, part structure and difficulty are all visible in it.
- Current affairs: keep a monthly file on labour and social-security developments, since item 9 and item 7 meet there.
Books and resources
GSMitra has free resources that map to items 2, 3, 4 and 9: UPSC syllabus, the daily current affairs section and the MCQ test builder for timed practice. For items 7 and 8, use the Acts and Codes themselves (summaries on the Ministry of Labour and EPFO websites) and a standard accountancy text.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the EPFO APFC syllabus 2026?
UPSC lists nine areas: General English; Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom Movements; Developmental Issues and Present Trends in Indian Economy; Governance and Constitution of India; General Science and Basic Computer Applications; Elementary Mathematics, Statistics and General Mental Ability; Industrial Relations, Labour Codes and Social Security in India; Principles of Accountancy, Auditing and Insurance; and Current Events.
Is there negative marking in the EPFO APFC test?
Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question are deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions have no penalty.
How many questions are in the EPFO APFC paper?
The 2025 paper had 120 items for 300 marks in two hours. The 2026 advertisement gives the duration and marking scheme but not the item count.
What is new in the 2026 EPFO syllabus?
Item 7 now reads ‘Industrial Relations, Labour Codes and Social Security in India’; the 2025 advertisement said ‘Labour Laws’.
What is the EPFO APFC exam date?
20 December 2026 for the 80 posts of Special Advertisement 52/2026, subject to change by UPSC.
What is the weightage of the interview?
The interview carries 100 marks against 300 for the test; the two are combined in the ratio 75:25.
Official sources
- UPSC Special Advertisement No. 52/2026, Appendix-I (PDF)
- UPSC Special Advertisement No. 52/2025 (PDF)
- UPSC: RT 2025 question paper, General Ability Test (PDF)