UPSC EPFO APFC Exam

Comprehensive
Guide Book
Sta Your Successful Journey
 Preface

This comprehensive guide is your dedicated resource to help you navigate the challenges and excel in
the EPFO APFC examination. Crafted by experienced educators, the guide provides a wealth of
knowledge, such as syllabus, important topics, resources, cut-offs, job profile, salary, benefits, and so
much more.

Without such knowledge, you may struggle to understand the detailed structure of the exam, including
the pattern, subjects, etc. This lack of clarity can lead to inefficient and unfocused preparation which
decreases your chances of cracking the exam. Moreover, you may end up wasting your precious time
and energy in finding the above-mentioned information. Also, there always will be uncertainty about
the source’s credibility from where you gathered the information.

This guidebook will provide you with all the necessary information that you’ll need to understand this
exam and EPFO as an organization, such as:

• What to prepare?
• From where to prepare?
• What will be your role and responsibility in the EPFO?
• What will be your Lifestyle as an Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner?
• What will be your salary after joining the organization?

By diving deep into these aspects, this guidebook aims to equip you with a comprehensive
understanding of the exam and the associated professional journey, ensuring you approach the exam
well-prepared with confidence.

Best of luck on your journey to becoming an assistant provident fund commissioner.

 Table of Contents
Part A: About EPFO
Chapter 1: What is EPFO?..................................................................................................................1-1

Chapter 2: Brief History of EPFO.......................................................................................................1-1

Chapter 3: Functions of EPFO............................................................................................................2-2

Chapter 4: Departments in EPFO......................................................................................................2-2

Chapter 5: Hierarchy in EPFO............................................................................................................3-3

Part B: About APFC Exam

Chapter 6: Exam Stages.................................................................................................................... 4-4

Chapter 7: Pattern............................................................................................................................. 4-5

Chapter 8: Eligibility...........................................................................................................................5-6

Chapter 9: Syllabus............................................................................................................................ 6-20

Chapter 10: Cut-Offs......................................................................................................................... 20-21

Chapter 11: Is the Recruitment Regular?...........................................................................................22-22

Chapter 12: When Can the UPSC EPFO EO/AO 2025 Notification Come?..................................... 22-22

Chapter 13: Who Should Prepare for This Exam?............................................................................. 23-23

Part C: About APFC Job & Lifestyle

Chapter 14: What is Training Like?.................................................................................................... 24-24

Chapter 15: Job Profile & Functions of APFC................................................................................... 24-25

Chapter 16: Salary, Allowances, and Benefits....................................................................................25-25

Chapter 17: Promotion Opportunities...............................................................................................25-26

Chapter 18: All About Postings......................................................................................................... 26-26

Part D: Resources to Prepare for the APFC Exam

Chapter 19: Resources to Prepare for the APFC Exam.................................................................... 27-30
Part E: Our 6-Step Formula to Become an APFC in EPFO
Chapter 20: What is the 6-Step Formula?......................................................................................... 31-34

Part F: EPFO APFC Online Coaching

Author’s Note
What Next?
Part A
About EPFO
 1

1 What is EPFO?

The full form of EPFO is Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation. It is

a statutory, autonomous body that regulates and manages the
Provident Funds (PF) in India. It comes under the Ministry of Labour
and Employment.

The mission of EPFO is “To extend the reach & quality of publicly managed
old-age income security programmes through consistent and ever improving
standards of compliance and benefit delivery in a manner that wins the
approval and confidence of Indians in our methods, fairness, honesty and
integrity, thereby contribu ng to the economic and social well-being of
Indians”.

EPFO provides social security to the employees through these 3

schemes-
• The Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF)
• The Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS)
• The Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 (EDLI)

EPFO is one of the world's largest Social Security

Organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of
financial transactions undertaken. At present, it
maintains 24.77 crore accounts (Annual Report 2019-20)
pertaining to its members.

2 Brief History of EPFO

The Employees' Provident Fund came into existence with the promulgation of the Employees'
Provident Funds Ordinance on November 15, 1951. It was replaced by the Employees' Provident
Funds Act, 1952. The Act is now referred to as the Employees' Provident Funds & Miscellaneous
Provisions Act, 1952 which extends to the whole of India. The Act and Schemes framed there are
administered by a tri-partite Board known as the Central Board of Trustees, Employees' Provident
Fund, consisting of representatives of Government (Both Central and State), Employers, and
Employees.
 2

3 Functions of EPFO

ENFORCEMENT OF
THE ACT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY

MAINTENANCE OF SETTLEMENT OF
INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS
ACCOUNTS
5 MAJOR
FUNCTIONS
OF EPFO

About EPFO | 04

ENSURING PROMPT MAINTAINING &

PENSION PAYMENTS UPDATING
RECORDS

4 Depa ments in EPFO

There are several departments in EPFO, a few of them are as mentioned below -

• Training department • Banking & Investment department

• Accounts department • Recovery department
• Compliance department • Public Relations or Publicity department
• Technical department • Human Resource department
 3

5 Hierarchy in EPFO

1 Central Provident Fund

Commissioner (CPFC)

2 Additional Central
Commissioner (Headquarters)

3 Regional Provident
Fund Commissioner - I

4 Regional Provident Fund

Commissioner - II

5 Assistant Provident Fund

Commissioner (APFC)

Hierarchy
in EPFO
6 Enforcement/Accounts
Officer

7 Section Supervisors

8 Social Security
Assistants

9 Data Entry Operators

10 Multi-tasking staff
Part B
About APFC Exam
 4

6 Exam Stages
The EPFO APFC exam is a 2-stage process—Recruitment Test and Interview. You must clear both these
exam phases to complete your dream of working as an Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner in
EPFO.

APFC in EPFO are

Recruitment recruited through a Interview
2 stage recruitment
Test process

Having knowledge of the EPFO APFC Exam stages gives you clarity on the examination structure and
aids in effective preparation. It helps you develop a tailored strategic study plan, allowing you to
allocate time and resources efficiently, focusing on specific skills and subjects required at each stage.

7 Pa ern

Let’s first see when the UPSC EPFO APFC examination was held in the past.

If we start from the year 2000, the UPSC EPFO APFC examination has taken place a total of 5 times -
notification came out in the year 2002, 2004, 2012, 2015, and the last recruitment notification came
out in 2023.

In 2004, the examination pattern consisted of a written test followed by an interview. The written test
was of 100 marks, there were 120 questions that were to be answered by the aspirants in 2 hours
duration. Please note that there was no negative marking in the examination.

In 2012, the examination pattern consisted of a written test followed by an interview. The written test
was of 100 marks, there were 100 questions that were to be answered by the aspirants in 2 hours
duration. There was 1/3 negative marking in the examination.

In 2015, the examination pattern consisted of a written test followed by an interview. The written test
was of 100 marks, there were 120 questions that were to be answered by the aspirants in 2 hours
duration. There was 1/3 negative marking in the examination.