The UPSC EPFO APFC Syllabus 2026 is an indispensable roadmap for candidates preparing for the prestigious Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) examination administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The comprehensive curriculum spans multiple subjects, including General English, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, Labour Laws, Social Security, General Science, Current Affairs, Accounting, Statistics, Auditing, and Insurance.
In this definitive guide, we provide the complete UPSC APFC Syllabus alongside the exam pattern, high-weightage topics, interview guidelines, expert preparation tips, and much more.
UPSC APFC Syllabus 2026
Aspirants targeting the UPSC APFC 2026 exam must develop a thorough understanding of the latest syllabus and exam framework to build a result-oriented preparation strategy.
This nationwide recruitment drive is organized by the Union Public Service Commission to select qualified candidates for the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner role within the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). The selection process features a rigorous written recruitment test followed by a personal interview.
UPSC EPFO APFC Syllabus: Overview
| Particulars | Details |
| Conducting Authority | UPSC |
| Organization |
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
|
| Post |
Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC)
|
| Selection Process |
Recruitment Test + Interview
|
| Exam Mode | Offline |
| Question Type | Objective MCQs |
| Total Questions | 120 |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Duration | 2 Hours |
| Negative Marking |
1/3rd Mark Deduction
|
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC EPFO APFC Exam Pattern 2026
The UPSC APFC examination is conducted in an objective multiple-choice format. The test paper is meticulously structured to assess not only factual knowledge but also analytical clarity, critical thinking, and mental aptitude. Here are the core details every candidate must know:
- The exam will be of 2 hours duration
- It will be conducted in Bilingual mode – English & Hindi
- There will be negative marking of 1/3rd marks for each wrong answer.
| Sections | Subject Name | Questions | Marks | Duration of Test |
| Section A | General English | 120 | 300 Marks | 2 Hours |
| Section B | Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom Movement | |||
| 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 |
EPFO APFC Syllabus 2026
Mastering the official syllabus is the foundational step toward cracking the UPSC APFC exam. The assessment evaluates proficiency in English, General Studies, Indian Economy, Labour Laws, Auditing, and related domains. Explore the subject-wise breakdown below to streamline your study plan effectively.
Syllabus for General English
- Parts of speech
- Structure of sentence
- Subject – verb agreement
- Verbs, tenses and modals
- Preposition, conjunction, articles
- Adjectives, adverbs, determiners
- Reading Comprehension
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Idioms and phrases
- One word substitution
- Rearrangement para jumbles
- Active-passive
Syllabus for General Science
- Physics: Units and measurements, Kinematics including distance, displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration, Dynamics and Newton’s laws of motion, Electricity, Pressure and its applications, Light, Uniform circular motion and simple harmonic motion
- Space Technology: Satellities & orbits, Indian space program, Important space agencies of the world, Application of space technology
- Chemistry: Physical and chemical changes, Elements, Compounds, Mixtures, Atoms and molecules, Chemistry in daily life, Acids and bases, Energy – renewable and non-renewable, Metals and non-metal.
- Biology: Food components, Health and diseases, Cells and tissues, Organ systems – digestive systems, skeletal system, muscular system, reproductive system
- Important Technologies: Nuclear technology, Biotechnology, Information and communication technology, Nanotechnology
Syllabus for Social Security
- Social Security Schemes: types of retirements schemes, types of pension schemes
- Social Security schemes for: women, LGBTQ+, children, elderly, PWD, Tribals, Labour
- Social Security Legislations: Employee compensation act, 1923 Employees’ state insurance act, 1948, Maternity benefit act, 1961, Payment of gratuity act, 1972, Unorganised workers social security act, 2008
Syllabus for Industrial Relations and Labour Laws and Insurance
- Industrial Relations: Overview, Indian labour force, Evolution & theories, Trade union, Industrial conflict, labour welfare, Wages, Workers participation management, Industrial health & safety, Collective bargaining, Miscellaneous
- Code on wages: Payment of wages act, 1936, Minimum Wages act, 1948, Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, Equal Renuneration Act, 1976.
- Insurance: Introduction, Principles, Types and Insurance as a Part of Social Security.
- Occupational safety, health and working conditions code: Factories Act, 1948, Mines Act, 1952, Plantation labour Act, 1951, Contract Labour Act, 1970, Inter-State Migrants workmen Act, 1979, Miscellaneous provisions Act, 1955, etc.,
- Industrial Relations code: Trade Union Act, 1926, Industrial Employment Act, 1946, Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
- Social Security code: Employees’ provident fund Act, 1952, Employees’ state insurance Act, 1948, Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, etc.,
Syllabus for Accountancy and Auditing
- Introduction to the Accounting: Meaning, branches, process and objectives
- Theory Base of Accounting: Principles and conventions, terminology
- Recording of Transaction: Journal, ledger, cash book, accounting equation, trial balance, types of accounting errors, etc.,
- Ratio Analysis: Concept and types of ratios, Cash flow statement.
- Bills of Exchange: Concept and Introduction, Parties of bill of exchange, Promissory notes, Discounting of bills.
- Accounting Standards: Accounting of share capital, inventory and investment, bonus shares and buyback of shares.
- Preparation of the final Accounts: Understanding of trading account, profit and loss account and balance sheet.
- Concepts of Auditing
Syllabus for Basic Knowledge of Computer Applications
- Introduction to Computer: Definition and major parts of computer, Uses of computer, History of computer, Generation of computer, Types of computer.
- Memory
- Operating System
- Computer Network
- Hardware and Software
- Computer Organisation and data processing cycle
Syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude and Statistics
- Simplification
- LCM and HCF
- Percentage
- Ratio and Proportion
- Mixture and Allegation
- Profit and Loss
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Average
- Time and Work
- Pipe and Cistern
- Time and Distance
- Boats and Streams
- Mensuration (2D and 3D)
- Data Interpretation
- Probability
- Statistical Concepts: Mean, Median, Mode, Standard Deviation, Dispersion, etc.
Syllabus for General Mental Ability
- Alphabetical and Alphanumeric Series
- Coding and Decoding
- Syllogism
- Direction Sense
- Ranking and Order
- Blood Relations
- Letter Series
- Analogy
- Clock
- Calendar
- Dice
- Venn Diagram
- Counting Figures
- Cube and Cuboid
Syllabus for Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom Movement
- Ancient and Medieval History: Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic Age, Rise of Mahajanapadas, Mauryan Dynasty, Post-Mauryan Period, Gupta Age, Harsha Empire, Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Rule
- Religious and Philosophical Traditions in India
- Sculpture and Architecture in India
- Indian Music and Dance Forms
- Indian Paintings
- Indian Languages and Literature
- Modern History: Decline of the Mughals, Rise of Regional Powers, Later Mughals after Aurangzeb and Advent of Europeans
- Revolt of 1857
- Rise of Nationalism in India and Formation of INC
- Reasons for the Rise of Indian Nationalism
- Important Events from 1908–1918
- Important Events from 1919–1929
- Important Events from 1929–1939
- Important Events from 1940–1947
- Socio-Religious Reform Movements
Syllabus for Governance and Constitution of India
- Constitutional Framework of India
- Indian Union and Its Citizens
- Rights and Duties of Indian Citizens
- Centre-State Relations
- Union Executive
- Parliament of India
- State Legislature
- Judiciary in India
- Constitutional and Non-Constitutional Bodies in India
- Local Governments in India
- Miscellaneous Topics
Syllabus for Indian Economy
- Introduction to Demand and Supply
- Elasticity of Demand
- Measurement of Growth
- Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India
- Economic History of India
- Monetary Policy
- Inflation
- Fiscal Policy
- Regional Economic Cooperation
- International Economic Institutions
- Opening Up of the Indian Economy
- Balance of Payments
- Finance Commission
- Social Security in India: Schemes and Legislation
Syllabus for Current Events, Population, Development and Globalisation
- Current Affairs: Government Schemes, Reports of National and International Organisations, First in News, Defence Exercises, Sports, Awards and Milestones, etc.
- Population in India
- Distribution of the Global Human Population
- Environment: Basics of Pollution and Climate Change
- Development: Concept of Development and Human Development
- Globalisation: Meaning, Triggers, Barriers and Impact of Globalisation
UPSC EPFO Interview Syllabus (EO/AO & APFC)
Drawing from previous years' recruitment trends and expert panel insights, the interview round primarily evaluates candidates across these four critical competency areas:
- Personality & Communication Skills
- Understanding of Job Role (EPFO-related Topics)
- Current Affairs & Social–Economic Issues
- Background-Based Questions (Education/Work Experience)
UPSC EPFO APFC Interview 2026
Serving as the final stage of the selection procedure, the interview is worth 100 marks. To clear this stage, candidates must secure scores above the official UPSC APFC interview cut-off. According to official guidelines, the interview carries a significant 25% weightage in determining final selection, with the ultimate merit list combining both written test scores and interview performance.
Preparation Tips for UPSC APFC 2026
- Go through the complete syllabus carefully and create short, easy-to-revise notes.
- Build strong conceptual understanding, especially in Economy, Governance, and Labour Laws.
- Read newspapers daily and refer to Drishti IAS Current Affairs for regular updates.
- Practice online mock tests and solve previous year papers to improve speed and accuracy.
- Revise regularly and follow a steady, disciplined study routine.
Best Books for UPSC EPFO APFC 2026
| Subject |
Recommended Books
|
| Polity |
Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
|
| Economy |
Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
|
| Labour Laws |
Bare Acts and EPFO Manuals
|
| Social Security |
EPFO Annual Reports
|
| History |
Spectrum Modern History
|
| English |
Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi
|
| Quantitative Aptitude | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Accounting |
NCERT Accountancy XI & XII
|
| Statistics |
Fundamentals of Statistics
|
FAQs
While the core subjects overlap significantly between roles, the APFC exam features a higher difficulty level and incorporates advanced topics such as Insurance, Auditing, and Social Security in much greater depth.
The Recruitment Test comprises 120 objective-type questions carrying a total of 300 marks, to be completed within a 2-hour timeframe. Please note that there is a negative marking scheme penalizing incorrect answers by one-third of the assigned marks.
Yes, negative marking is applicable. One-third (1/3rd) of the total marks allotted to a specific question will be deducted for every incorrect response marked by the candidate.
The comprehensive recruitment process consists of an offline Recruitment Test (RT) followed by a formal Personality Test / Interview.