UPSC EPFO APFC Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026 - Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Post Name | Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) |
| Organisation | Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) |
| Advertisement No. | Special Advertisement No. 52/2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 80 |
| Pay Scale | Level-10 in Pay Matrix (7th CPC) |
| Selection Stages | Recruitment Test (RT) + Personality Test (Interview) |
| RT Total Marks | 300 |
| RT Duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Exam Mode | Pen & Paper (OMR-based), Objective Type |
| Medium of Exam | Bilingual (English & Hindi) |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd (0.33) mark deducted per wrong answer |
| Recruitment Test Date | 20 December 2026 |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
Recruitment Test (RT) Pattern
| Exam Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Test Duration | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| Question Format | Objective (Multiple Choice) |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Medium | Bilingual (English & Hindi) |
| Marking | Equal marks assigned to every question |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd mark deducted for each wrong answer; marking more than one option is also treated as wrong |
| Unattempted Questions | No penalty |
Subject-Wise Marks Distribution (Based on Previous Cycle)
| S. No. | Subject | No. of Questions (2023 trend) | Marks (2023 trend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General English | 20 | 50 |
| 2 | Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning | 15 | 37.5 |
| 3 | General Accounting Principles | 15 | 37.5 |
| 4 | Industrial Relations & Labour Laws | 14 | 35 |
| 5 | Computer Applications | 10 | 25 |
| 6 | General Science | 10 | 25 |
| 7 | Indian History & Culture | 10 | 25 |
| 8 | Indian Polity | 9 | 22.5 |
| 9 | Current Affairs & Development Issues | 8 | 20 |
| 10 | Social Security | 5 | 12.5 |
| 11 | Population & Globalization | 3 | 7.5 |
| 12 | Indian Economy | 1 | 2.5 |
| Total | 120 | 300 |
Minimum Qualifying Marks for Interview (Category-Wise)
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 50 |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 45 |
| SC / ST / PwBD | 40 |
1. General English
- Vocabulary, idioms, and phrases
- Grammar, sentence structure, and error correction
- Comprehension and precise use of language
2. Indian Culture, Heritage & Freedom Movements
- Art forms, literature, architecture, and cultural trends
- Freedom movement, key events, socio-religious reform movements, and national struggle milestones
3. Governance and Constitution of India
- Indian polity, constitutional provisions, rights, and executive framework
- Governance machinery, public policies, and administrative structures
4. Developmental Issues & Present Trends in Indian Economy
- Core macroeconomic concepts, fiscal policy, inflation, and monetary policy
- Sustainable development, social infrastructure, demographic trends, and economic updates
5. Industrial Relations, Labour Codes & Social Security in India
- Principles of Industrial Relations (IR) and trade union acts
- New Labour Codes enacted by the Government of India
- Social Security schemes, Provident Fund legislation, gratuity, maternity benefits, and statutory welfare measures
6. Principles of Accountancy, Auditing & Insurance
- Financial accounting principles, trial balance, ledger posting, and profit & loss statements
- Auditing fundamentals, auditing standards, and financial verification
- Fundamentals of risk management and types of insurance
7. General Science & Computer Applications
- General scientific concepts covering everyday physics, chemistry, and biology
- Basic computer hardware, operating systems, networking fundamentals, cybersecurity, and software applications
8. Elementary Mathematics, Statistics & Mental Ability
- Arithmetic, percentages, ratio & proportion, time & work, basic algebra, geometry
- Data representation, measures of central tendency, variance, and probability
- Logical reasoning, analytical capability, and pattern recognition
9. Current Events of National and International Importance
- Major global news, international summits, bilateral agreements, national policies, and major government initiatives