Key dates
Exam pattern
| Stage 1 — Recruitment Test | 120 objective questions · 300 marks · 2 hours · offline OMR · bilingual (English/Hindi) |
|---|---|
| Marking | 2.5 marks per correct answer · one-third negative (−0.83) per wrong answer |
| Stage 2 — Interview | Personality test |
| Final merit | Recruitment Test 75% + Interview 25% |
| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission, for EPFO (Ministry of Labour & Employment) |
Syllabus — ten subjects and how our Question Bank covers them
Question and topic counts are from the StudyForGS Question Bank (590 questions, 134 topics); they mirror the weight each subject has carried in past EO/AO papers.
| Subject | Questions | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| EN · General English | 60 | 13 |
| HS · Indian Freedom Struggle, Culture and Heritage | 58 | 15 |
| CA · Current Events and Developmental Issues | 45 | 7 |
| PL · Indian Polity and Governance | 58 | 15 |
| EC · Indian Economy and Development | 55 | 13 |
| AC · General Accounting and Auditing Principles | 58 | 14 |
| LL · Industrial Relations and Labour Laws | 70 | 14 |
| SS · Social Security in India | 70 | 12 |
| QA · Quantitative Aptitude and General Mental Ability | 60 | 17 |
| GS · General Science and Computer Applications | 56 | 14 |
| Total | 590 | 134 |
Online mock test series — timed, on the real pattern
4 full-length mocks + 10 sectional tests
- 120 questions · 300 marks · 2 hours · +2.5 / −0.83 — exactly the Recruitment Test
- Every test in English and Hindi (हिंदी / अंग्रेज़ी) — switch language any time while attempting
- Same ten-subject weightage as the real paper; sectionals for every subject
- Every option explained after submission; subject-wise breakdown of where marks went
- Attempt on phone or laptop; progress saved if you close the tab
Solved Previous Year Questions 2012–2025 — every EO/AO & APFC paper
Seven papers, 820 questions: the EO/AO & APFC common test of 30 November 2025, EO/AO 2023, APFC 2023, EO/AO 2021, EO/AO 2017, APFC 2016 and APFC 2012. Arranged subject-wise into 23 chapters (General English, Accounting & Auditing, Labour Laws & Social Security, Computers, eight GS chapters, Quant, Reasoning) and year-wise inside each chapter, latest paper first. Every question carries its original paper reference, a detailed explanation, the answer as per UPSC's final key (debatable keys get a Note), and an Update 2026 box wherever the law has since changed — including the four Labour Codes. Paper-wise answer-key grids at the end let you attempt any paper as a full mock.
EPFO Solved PYQs 2012–2025 (PDF)
- 7 question papers · 820 questions · 233 pages · English
- 23 subject chapters, year bands inside each (2025 → 2012)
- Detailed explanation + original paper reference for every question
- Answers per UPSC final keys · Update 2026 boxes · paper-wise answer keys
- PDF emailed within minutes, watermarked to you
The Question Bank + Solutions Manual — two books, one set
A complete practice set on the EO/AO pattern: Book 1 is 590 questions in the real formats (single-fact recall, two-statement assertions, match-the-following, chronology, short computation), indexed subject by subject and topic by topic, with the statutory position updated to the four Labour Codes. Book 2 reprints every question, marks the correct option with the rule or section that establishes it, and then explains each wrong option — because in this exam the distractors are themselves examinable facts.
Question Bank + Solutions Manual
- Book 1 — Complete Question Bank, 110 pages
- Book 2 — Complete Solutions Manual, 278 pages, all four options explained
- 590 questions · 10 subjects · 134 topics · 2,360 explanations
- Both PDFs emailed within minutes, watermarked to you
प्रश्न बैंक + उत्तर एवं व्याख्या
- पुस्तक 1 — सम्पूर्ण प्रश्न बैंक, 130 पृष्ठ
- पुस्तक 2 — सम्पूर्ण उत्तर एवं व्याख्या, 306 पृष्ठ, चारों विकल्पों की व्याख्या
- 590 प्रश्न · 10 विषय · 134 प्रकरण · 2,360 व्याख्याएँ
- दोनों PDF कुछ मिनटों में ईमेल पर, आपके नाम के वॉटरमार्क के साथ
Independent study material prepared for EO/AO and APFC aspirants. Not an official UPSC or EPFO publication. The Solved PYQs book reproduces past question texts for study with original explanations; the Question Bank is StudyForGS practice material. All PDFs are watermarked with the buyer's email and mobile number; please do not share or resell.
Frequently asked questions
When is the UPSC EPFO APFC 2026 exam?
The Recruitment Test for Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner is scheduled for 20 December 2026. The notification (80 posts) was released on 19–21 August 2026 and online applications ran from 22 August to 11 September 2026. Confirm the schedule on upsc.gov.in before you plan.
What is the EO/AO exam pattern?
A single objective paper of 120 questions carrying 300 marks (2.5 marks each) in 2 hours, on an offline OMR sheet, followed by an interview. One-third of the marks are deducted for a wrong answer. Final merit is 75% Recruitment Test and 25% Interview.
Is the APFC syllabus the same as EO/AO?
Yes — the ten subject areas and the paper design are the same. APFC is the higher post (Group A), so expect the same topics at a similar or slightly higher difficulty, with more weight on labour laws, social security and accounting.
Which subjects carry the most weight?
Industrial Relations & Labour Laws and Social Security in India together are the heart of the paper — the EPF & MP Act 1952, the EPF/EPS/EDLI schemes, the ESI Act, the four Labour Codes and the Employees' Compensation Act keep recurring. General Accounting is the other subject most aspirants under-prepare.
Have the Labour Codes replaced the old Acts in the syllabus?
The four Labour Codes came into force on 21 November 2025, subsuming 29 central statutes. The paper is expected to test both the repealed parent Acts (the source of the concepts) and the corresponding Code provisions. Our Question Bank tests both and the explanation says where a provision has moved.
Are the previous year papers of UPSC EPFO available?
Yes. The StudyForGS Solved PYQs 2012–2025 PDF has all 820 questions from the seven UPSC EPFO papers — the EO/AO & APFC common test of 30 November 2025, EO/AO 2023, APFC 2023, EO/AO 2021, EO/AO 2017, APFC 2016 and APFC 2012 — arranged in 23 subject chapters (latest year first) with a detailed explanation for every question, the original paper reference, answers as per UPSC's final keys, Update 2026 notes where a law has changed, and paper-wise answer-key grids. 233 pages, English, ₹80.
What kind of questions are in the StudyForGS Question Bank?
590 practice questions written to the EO/AO syllabus, difficulty and formats — single-fact recall, two-statement assertions, match-the-following, chronology and short computation — arranged subject by subject and topic by topic, so you can practise one area at a time and then sit the full-length mocks.
What do I get after paying?
The PDF(s) are emailed to the address you enter on the payment page within a few minutes, watermarked with your email and mobile number. Solved PYQs 2012–2025: one 233-page PDF (₹80). Question Bank set: two PDFs — Book 1 (Question Bank) and Book 2 (Solutions Manual) — emailed to the address you enter on the payment page within a few minutes, watermarked with your email and mobile number. English edition ₹179, Hindi edition ₹178.
Is there an online test series?
Yes — 4 full-length mocks (120 questions, 2 hours, +2.5/−0.83) and 10 subject-wise sectional tests on studyforgs.com/tests.html. Mock 1 is free with a free account; the EPFO Pass (₹189 for one year) unlocks the rest. Every test is available in English and Hindi. Every attempt ends with all four options explained and a subject-wise breakdown.
Is there a free sample?
Yes. A 29-page sample of the Solved PYQs (contents pages plus 25 pages from across the chapters) and a 32-page sample of each Question Bank edition (introduction, 13 pages of questions from English, Labour Laws and Social Security, and 12 pages of solutions) is downloadable on this page.
Also on StudyForGS
Dates and vacancies are compiled from the Commission's notices and are updated when UPSC publishes changes. Always confirm on the official website before applying.