UPSC EPFO Syllabus for APFC EO/AO Syllabus, PDF Notes & Sources for Preparation

UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts recruitment for the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under two major categories:
- Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC)
- Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer (EO/AO)
These exams are highly competitive and require a strong grasp of subjects like Indian polity, social security, economy, labour laws, and general aptitude. In this blog, we will cover the detailed syllabus, important notes, sources, and preparation strategy for both UPSC EPFO APFC and EO/AO exams.
Also Read: UPSC EPFO APFC EO/EO Recruitment
📑 Table of Contents
- UPSC EPFO APFC Exam Overview
- UPSC EPFO EO/AO Exam Overview
- Detailed Syllabus (APFC & EO/AO)
- Preparation Notes & Key Topics
- Best Sources for Preparation
- Preparation Strategy
- FAQs on UPSC EPFO APFC & EO/AO
UPSC EPFO APFC Exam Overview- UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Exam Name | UPSC EPFO APFC (Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner) |
Conducted by | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Selection Process | Written Test + Interview |
Nature of Post | Group A, Gazetted |
Role | Policy formulation, legal interpretation, social security enforcement |
UPSC EPFO EO/AO Exam Overview-UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Exam Name | UPSC EPFO EO/AO (Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer) |
Conducted by | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Selection Process | Written Test + Interview |
Nature of Post | Group B, Non-Gazetted |
Role | Enforcement of EPF Act, inspection, compliance of rules |
Detailed Syllabus (APFC & EO/AO)-UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
🏛 Indian Polity & Governance (Quick Notes)
- Constitution: 395 Articles, 12 Schedules, 25 Parts
- Important Articles:
- Art. 12–35: Fundamental Rights
- Art. 36–51: Directive Principles (DPSP)
- Art. 323A, 323B: Tribunals
- Art. 368: Amendment procedure
- Key Committees: Sarkaria (Centre-State), Punchhi (Federal Relations), Swaran Singh (DPSP)
- Schemes: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, PM Shram Yogi Maandhan, Ayushman Bharat
📈 Indian Economy (Quick Notes)
- Basic Concepts: GDP, GNP, Inflation, Fiscal Deficit, Repo Rate
- Policies:
- Monetary → Controlled by RBI
- Fiscal → Controlled by Govt. (Budget)
- Important Reports:
- Economic Survey, Union Budget, RBI Reports
- Sectors of Economy: Primary (Agri), Secondary (Industry), Tertiary (Services)
- Schemes: Atmanirbhar Bharat, PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana, MGNREGA
⚖️ Labour Laws & Social Security (Quick Notes)
Core Labour Laws
- Factories Act, 1948 → Health, safety, working hours
- Minimum Wages Act, 1948 → Fixes minimum wages
- Payment of Wages Act, 1936 → Timely wage payment
- Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 → Dispute resolution, strikes, lockouts
- EPF Act, 1952 → Provident Fund, Pension Scheme, Insurance
- Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 → Medical benefit, maternity, injury
- Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 → Retirement benefit
- New Labour Codes (2020):
- Code on Wages
- Code on Social Security
- Industrial Relations Code
- Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code
📜 Modern Indian History (Quick Notes)
- 1857 Revolt: First War of Independence
- INC Formation: 1885 (AO Hume)
- Important Movements:
- Swadeshi (1905)
- Non-Cooperation (1920)
- Civil Disobedience (1930)
- Quit India (1942)
- Leaders: Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Subhash Bose, Bhagat Singh
- Acts: Govt of India Act 1909, 1919, 1935 → Basis of Constitution
📊 General Accounting Principles (Quick Notes)
- Accounting Equation: Assets = Liabilities + Capital
- Double Entry System: Debit (Receiver/Expense) – Credit (Giver/Income)
- Books: Journal → Ledger → Trial Balance → Final Accounts
- Financial Statements: Trading A/c, P&L A/c, Balance Sheet
- Key Concepts: Accrual Basis, Prudence, Matching Principle
🧠 General Mental Ability (Quick Notes)
- Maths Basics:
- Ratio = a/b
- Percentage = (value/total)×100
- SI = (P×R×T)/100, CI = P(1+R/100)^T – P
- Time = Distance/Speed
- Reasoning Topics: Blood Relations, Coding-Decoding, Series, Syllogism
- Data Interpretation: Graphs, Tables, Pie Charts
🌍 Current Affairs (Quick Notes)
- Focus Areas: Economy, Polity, Labour, International Relations, Schemes
- Magazines: Yojana, Kurukshetra
- Websites: PIB, EPFO Official Site, Labour Ministry
- International: ILO, WTO, UNDP reports
✅ Quick Prep Strategy-UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
- Revise labour laws weekly (very important for EPFO).
- Read Laxmikant Polity + Spectrum History → cover 80% syllabus.
- Use Economic Survey & Budget highlights → economy prep.
- Practice mock tests for aptitude + accounting.
- Keep one-page summaries handy for last-minute revision.
Both exams share a common core syllabus, but APFC includes a slightly deeper focus on policy, law, and social security systems.
1. General English
- Vocabulary, Grammar, Comprehension
- Usage of words, Sentence structure
- Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms, Phrases
2. Indian Polity & Governance
- Constitution, Fundamental Rights, DPSP
- Union & State Government structure
- Judiciary, Parliament, Executive
- Schemes & Policies related to social justice
3. Indian Economy
- Economic Development, Inflation, Fiscal Policy
- Monetary Policy, Banking System, Budgeting
- Industrial Relations, Labour Welfare, Social Security
4. Industrial Relations & Labour Laws (core for EPFO)
- Factories Act, 1948
- Minimum Wages Act, 1948
- Payment of Wages Act, 1936
- Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
- Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
- Code on Wages, Code on Social Security, Code on Industrial Relations
5. General Mental Ability & Quantitative Aptitude
- Number Series, Ratio, Percentage
- Profit & Loss, Time & Work
- Reasoning & Analytical Ability
- Data Interpretation
6. General Accounting Principles
- Basic concepts of Accounting
- Double-entry System
- Journal, Ledger, Trial Balance
- Final Accounts, Balance Sheet
7. Indian Freedom Struggle & Current Affairs
- Modern Indian History (1857 onwards)
- Major movements and leaders
- Current events of national & international importance
8. Social Security in India
- EPFO Structure, Functions, Powers
- Social Insurance & Welfare Programs
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
Preparation Notes & Key Topics-UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
✅ Make short notes of labour laws with sections, years, and amendments.
✅ Prepare mind maps of constitutional articles relevant to social justice and welfare.
✅ Focus on government schemes related to labour & employment.
✅ Revise EPF Act and provisions with case studies.
✅ Practice previous year question papers to identify recurring themes.
Best Sources for Preparation -UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
Subject | Recommended Sources |
---|---|
Polity | Laxmikant’s Indian Polity, NCERTs |
Economy | Ramesh Singh, NCERT Macroeconomics, Budget & Economic Survey |
History | Spectrum – Modern India |
Labour Laws | Bare Acts, Ministry of Labour Website |
Accounting and Auditing | NCERT Class 11-12 |
Social Security | EPFO official documents, ILO website |
Aptitude & Reasoning | RS Aggarwal, Previous Year Papers |
Current Affairs | The Hindu, PIB, Yojana, Kurukshetra |
Preparation Strategy-UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
- Understand the Syllabus → UPSC EPFO has a well-defined syllabus, stick to it.
- Daily Current Affairs → Focus on schemes, economy, and labour news.
- Revision → Weekly revision of labour laws and polity.
- Mock Tests → Practice sectional and full-length tests regularly.
- Notes Making → Keep crisp one-page summaries for laws, economy, and policies.
FAQs on UPSC EPFO Notes for APFC EO AO 2025
Q1. What is the difference between APFC and EO/AO posts?
👉 APFC is a Group A Gazetted post with higher policy-making responsibilities, while EO/AO is a Group B post focused on enforcement and inspections.
Q2. Is the syllabus for APFC and EO/AO the same?
👉 Broadly yes, but APFC exam includes deeper focus on law, policy-making, and social security administration.
Q3. Which is tougher: APFC or EO/AO?
👉 APFC is considered tougher due to higher competition, deeper syllabus, and interview weightage.
Q4. How many hours of study are needed daily for preparation?
👉 On average, 6–7 hours daily with smart planning and revision is enough for serious aspirants.
Q5. Do I need coaching for UPSC EPFO exams?
👉 Not mandatory. With the right books, sources, and consistent practice, self-study is sufficient.
Q6. Are labour laws very important for the exam?
👉 Yes. For both APFC and EO/AO, labour laws and social security carry significant weight.
Leave a Comment