The UPSC EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation) Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) Exam 2025 is one of the most aspired recruitment for Group A civil servants. The recruitment notification is out on the official website of the Union Public Service Commission. If you are applying for this exam, you should refer to the syllabus and exam pattern and understand them as your first step towards preparation. This comprehensive guide covers the latest syllabus, updated exam pattern, selection stages, and targeted preparation tips.
UPSC EPFO APFC 2025: Exam Overview
The highlights of the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner exam conducted by UPSC is provided below. The online registration for this post will start soon on the official website of UPSC. Candidates who wish to appear in the exam must go through complete details provided.
| UPSC EPFO 2025 Exam Summary | |
| Exam Authority | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Post Name | Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) |
| Vacancies | Total 74 for APFC post |
| Category | Govt Jobs |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Registration Dates | 29th July (12 noon) to 18th August 2025 (11:59 pm) |
| Job Location | Across India |
| Selection Process | Written Test, Interview/Personality Test |
| Medium of Exam | English and Hindi |
| Probation Period | 2 years |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
UPSC APFC Written Exam Syllabus 2025: Overview
| Sections | Subject Name | Marks | Duration of Test |
| Section A | General English | 300 Marks | 2 Hours |
| Section B | Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom Movements, and Current Events | ||
| Population, Development, and Globalization | |||
| Governance and Constitution of India | |||
| Present Trends in Indian Economy | |||
| Accounting and Auditing, Industrial Relations, Labour Laws, Insurance | |||
| Basic knowledge of Computer applications, General Science | |||
| Elementary Mathematics, Statistics, and General Mental Ability | |||
| Social Security in India |
UPSC APFC Selection Process 2025
The selection process consists of a written exam (pen/paper based) and an interview.
| Stage | Mode | Duration | Questions | Marks | Marking Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment Test | Offline (pen‑paper) | 2 hours | 120 MCQs | 300 | +2.5 per correct and –0.83 per wrong (⅓ penalty) answer |
| Interview | Face-to-face | 20–45 minutes | Conversational | 100 | Minimum qualifying: General – 50, EWS – 50, OBC – 45, SC/ST/PH – 40 |
Final Merit Score = Written (75%) + Interview (25%)
UPSC Exam Pattern for APFC 2025: Highlights
The UPSC EPFO APFC exam is conducted in two stages: Written Exam and Interview. In the written exam, you will face a total of 120 multiple-choice questions of 300 marks and the duration of the exam is 2 hours. Negative marking of 1/3rd of the marks allotted to the question applies for each wrong answer. The interview consists of 100 marks and the final score is counted based on both written marks (75% weightage) and interview marks (25% weightage).
Conducting Body: UPSC
Post: Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) — Group A, Gazetted Officer
Selection Stages:
- WRITTEN (MCQs, Offline)
- INTERVIEW (Personality Test)
Written:
- 120 MCQs, each worth 2.5 marks, totalling 300 marks
- Duration: 2 hours
- Negative marking: ⅓ of the marks allotted to the question (≈ 0.83 marks deduction)
Interview: 100 marks. Final score = 75% (written) + 25% (interview)
UPSC APFC 2025 Written Exam Pattern
The written exam of UPSC EPFO APFC consists of 120 multiple-choice questions of a total of 300 marks.
These questions are from the familiar subjects like English Language, Indian Polity, Economy, Labour Laws, Social Security, Industrial Relations, General Science, Mental Ability, Current Affairs, etc.
The medium of the exam is English and Hindi. Each question is of 2.5 marks and 1/3rd of the marks allotted to the question is deducted as a wrong-answer penalty.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Offline (Pen and Paper based – OMR sheet) |
| Type of Questions | Objective Type (Multiple Choice Questions – MCQs) |
| Number of Questions | 120 |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Marks per Question | 2.5 |
| Negative Marking | Yes – 1/3rd mark (0.83) deducted for every wrong answer |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Medium of Exam | English & Hindi (except English language questions) |
| Subjects Covered | General English, Indian Polity, Economy, Labour Laws, Social Security, Industrial Relations, General Science, Mental Ability, Current Affairs, etc. |
Important Note:
- All questions carry equal weightage.
- No sectional timing or sectional cut-off.
- The exam is qualifying for the interview round, and marks are added to the final merit list.
UPSC APFC Syllabus 2025
The syllabus addresses both core and advanced topics from English Language, General Knowledge, Current Affairs, and Core Subjects. The complete syllabus has been divided into three sections for convenience. In the actual exam, 120 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) will be asked, and they will be a mix of all the topics mentioned in the syllabus. Check the topic-wise complete list:
UPSC APFC General English Syllabus
- Grammar & vocabulary: tenses, articles, clauses, parts of speech
- Comprehension, error correction, sentence completion
- Idioms, phrases, one‑word substitutes
- Word Formation, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms & Antonyms
- Vocabulary, Theme Detection, Articles, Subject-Verb Agreement
- Passage Completion, Unseen Passages, Sentence Rearrangement
- Active And Passive Voice, Spotting the Error, Cloze Test
UPSC APFC General Knowledge & Current Affairs Syllabus
- Indian culture, heritage, freedom movements
- Current economic and social developments
- Governance and Constitution of India
- Environmental, Social, and Governance Oversight
UPSC APFC Core Subjects Syllabus
- Economy: contemporary economic trends
- Accounting & Auditing, Industrial Relations, Labour Laws, Insurance
- Social Security in India
- Mathematics, Statistics & Mental Ability: arithmetic, data interpretation, reasoning
- General Science & Computer Basics: Basic physics, chemistry, biology, MS Office, networking
UPSC APFC Accounting Syllabus
- Financial Reporting, Tax, Personal Financial Planning, Firm Practice Management
- Governmental Audit Quality, Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality, Not-for-Profit
- Forensic and Valuation Services, Information Technology, Professional Ethics
- Plain English Accounting, Business, Industry, and Government, Audit Quality
- Fair Value Measurement
UPSC APFC Computer Knowledge Syllabus
- MS Word, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft Access, Introduction to Computer Science
- Boolean Algebra, Computer Networks, Emerging Technologies and Web Publishing
- PC Software and Office Automation, Database Management System, Data Structures
- MS PowerPoint, MS Visio and MS Excel, Microsoft Outlook, The Internet
- Workplace Productivity Tools, MS Project, Microsoft Publisher
UPSC APFC General Science Syllabus
- Chemical bonding and molecular structure, Electrochemistry and chemical kinetics
- Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, States of matter: gasses and liquids, Laws of motion
- Units and measurements, Physical, Gravitation, Kinetic theory, Mechanical properties of solids
- Thermodynamics, Motion in a straight line, Electrostatic potential and capacitance
- Electromagnetic induction, Current electricity, Magnetism and Matter, Oscillations
- Ray optics and optical instruments, Alternating current, Atoms, Nuclei, Wave Optics
- Motion in a plane, Classification of elements and periodicity in properties, Environmental chemistry
- Biomolecules, Solid-state, Systems of particles and rotational motion, Mechanical properties of fluids
- Moving charges and magnetism, Electric charges and fields, P-block elements, Electromagnetic waves
- Semiconductor electronics, Thermal properties of Matter
UPSC APFC Statistics Syllabus
Describing and displaying data, Linear regression, and correlation, Experiments and sampling
Probability, Hypothesis tests, and confidence intervals.
UPSC APFC Elementary Mathematics Syllabus
Abacus, LCM and HCF, Fractions and Decimals, Place Value & Face Value, Addition and subtraction
Multiplication and Division, Counting, Counting Money
UPSC APFC General Mental Ability Syllabus
Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Alphabet Test, Sitting Arrangements, Direction Sense Test, Mathematical Operations, Arithmetical Reasoning, Analogy, Classification, Series, Number, Ranking, and Time Sequence Test, Eligibility Test, Inserting the Missing Character
Weightage & Focus Areas for UPSC APFC Exam
- General English: With a heavy emphasis on language skills.
- Core domains (Economics, Labour Laws, Accounting) contribute significantly to securing at least 50% of marks.
- Analytical & Interdisciplinary topics (Mental Ability, Social Security, Governance) support the remainder.
Preparation Strategy For Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner Exam 2025
- Understand the structure: Familiarize yourself with each section and marks distribution.
- Segment study plan:
- Phase 1: English & GK basics
- Phase 2: Core Labour & Accounting Laws
- Phase 3: Maths, reasoning, science basics
- Refer to PYQs: Download and solve previous years’ question papers (2023, 2019) to spot recurring questions.
- Mock Tests: Focus on accuracy and speed. Deduct one-third from total for negative marking.|
- Interview practice: Prepare to discuss your written test topics and general administration knowledge.
Additional Tips For UPSC APFC 2025 Exam Preparation
- Build strong language and reasoning fundamentals.
- Prioritize high-scoring core sections (Labour Laws, Accounting).
- Regularly solve MCQs and attempt mock tests in actual exam conditions.
- Stay glocal: connect current affairs to subjects like Governance & Economy.
- Practicing filling the mock tests answers in your OMR sheet.
UPSC Exam Important Dates
Check EPFO exam date 2025 and other important dates below:
| Events | Dates |
| UPSC EPFO Notification 2025 | 22nd July 2025 |
| Opening date of Registration | 29th July 2025 (12 noon) |
| Closing date of Registration | 18th August 2025 (11:59 pm) |
| Admit Card | — |
| UPSC EPFO Exam Date 2025 | November 2025 (expected) |
Conclusion
A well-structured preparation covering language proficiency, core subject mastery, and analytical skills is important for cracking the APFC exam. Use official syllabus, past patterns, mock tests, and timely revision to boost performance. Stay updated with official notifications and apply preparation strategies accordingly.
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FAQs
APFC includes 4 additional subjects, which are: Auditing, Insurance, Statistics, Population & Globalization, along with the EO/AO syllabus
Bilingual: English & Hindi (except English grammar section).
Yes. 0.83 (1/3rd of 2.5) marks are deducted for each wrong answer.
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