The UPSC EPFO exam is one of the most prestigious opportunities for graduates, offering a chance to kickstart your career at the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) level.
Clearing this exam can open doors to a financially and socially rewarding career in a reputable organisation. However, the APFC exam requires dedicated hard work and thorough preparation due to its vast syllabus.
In this article, I’ll share the UPSC EPFO APFC syllabus and provide valuable insights to help you understand the exam pattern and plan your preparation effectively.
Detailed UPSC EPFO APFC Exam Syllabus
The UPSC EPFO syllabus is broad, demanding a solid understanding of all the topics of each subject. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key topics you need to focus on:
Indian Freedom Struggle & Cultural Heritage
- Decline of Mughal Empire and Rise of Regional Powers
- Advent of Europeans
- Rise of British in India
- Early Reforms During British Rule
- Revolt of 1857
- Rise of Nationalism & Formation of INC
- Swadeshi Movement and Rise of Extremism
- Important Events from 1908 – 1918
- Important Events from 1919 – 1929
- Important Events from 1929 to 1939
- Important Events from 1940 to 1947
- Socio-religious Reform Movements
- Miscellaneous Topics of Modern History
- Miscellaneous Topics of Ancient and Medieval History
- Religion & Philosophy in India
- Sculptures & Architecture in India
- Temple Architecture in India
- Indian Music (For APFC only)
- Indian Dance Forms
- Indian Paintings
- Indian languages & Literature
- Important Fairs & Festivals in India
- UNESCO World Heritage in India
Governance and Constitution of India Syllabus
- Constitutional Framework of India
- Indian Union and Its Citizens
- Rights and Duties of Indian Citizens
- Centre State Relations
- Executives in India
- Union Executive
- State Executive
- Legislatures in India
- Parliament of India
- State Legislature
- Judiciary in India
- Constitutional and Non – Constitutional Bodies in India
- Local Governments in India
- Miscellaneous Topics
General Science Syllabus
Physics
- Units and measurements
- Kinematics
- Dynamics and Newton’s laws of motion
- Electricity
- Pressure and its applications
- Light
- Uniform circular motion and simple harmonic motion
Chemistry
- Physical and chemical changes
- Elements, compounds, and mixtures
- Atoms and molecules
- Chemistry in daily life
- Energy
- Metals and non-metals
- Acids and bases
Biology
- Food components
- Health and diseases
- Cells and tissues
- Organ systems
Space Technology
- Satellites and orbits
- Indian space program
- Important space agencies of the world
- Applications of space technology
Important Technologies
- Nuclear technology
- Biotechnology
- Information and communication technology
- Nanotechnology
Indian Economy
- Introduction to Demand and Supply
- Elasticity of Demand
- Measurement of Growth
- Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India
- Poverty
- Employment 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 Payment
- Industrial and Labour Policy
- Finance Commission
Current Affairs
- Government schemes
- Reports of national and international organizations
- First in news
- Defence exercises
- Environment
- Sports
- Awards and milestones
- Days in news
- Persons in news
- Appointments
- Fairs and festivals
- Places in news
- Books and authors
- Miscellaneous
Accounting Syllabus
- Introduction to the Accounting
- Theory Base of Accounting
- Recording of Transactions
- Bills of Exchange
- Accounting Standards
- Preparation of the Final Accounts
- Ratio Analysis
Labour Laws and Industrial Relations Syllabus
- Industrial Relations
- Labour Laws
- Labor Codes
Social Security Mechanisms Syllabus
- Social Security Schemes
- Social Security Legislations
Demographic Trends & Globalization Syllabus
- Indian Geography
- Population
- Development
- Globalisation
- Environment
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
- 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
General English Syllabus
- Parts of speech
- Structure of sentence
- Subject-verb agreement
- Nouns and pronouns
- Verbs, tenses, and modals
- Prepositions, conjunctions, and articles
- Adjectives, adverbs, and determiners
- Reading comprehension
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Idioms and phrases
- One word substitution
- Rearrangement para jumbles
- Active-passive
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
General Mental Ability Syllabus
- Alphabetical and alphanumeric series
- Coding and decoding
- Syllogism
- Direction sense
- Ranking and order
- Blood relation
- Letter series
- Analogy
- Clock
- Calendar
- Dice
- Venn diagram
- Counting figure
- Cube and cuboid
Statistical Syllabus
- Basics of statistics
- Understanding of the core concepts
- Mean, median, and mode
- What is standard deviation, and its use
- What is dispersion, and its application parts
- Sampling and different methods of sampling
Auditing Syllabus
- Nature, objective, and scope of auditing
- Audit strategy, planning & programme
- Risk assessment and internal control
- Vouching and verification
- Company audit
- Auditor’s audit
- Audit of different type of entities
- Classification of audit
Insurance Syllabus
- Introduction to Insurance
- Principles of Insurance
- Types of Insurance
- Insurance as a Part of Social Security
Basic Knowledge of Computer Applications Syllabus
- Introduction to Computer
- Computer Organisation and Data Processing Cycle
- Hardware and Software
- Memory
- Operating System
- Computer Network
- Commonly Used Short-cuts and Full Form Used in Computer Language
Now that you’re familiar with the UPSC EPFO APFC exam syllabus, let’s move forward and explore effective strategies to prepare for this exam.
How to Prepare for the UPSC EPFO APFC Exam
Preparing for the APFC exam requires a well-structured and consistent approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Understand the Syllabus and Pattern
- Thoroughly understand the detailed syllabus for each subject as mentioned above.
- Familiarize yourself with the exam pattern, time, marking scheme, etc.
Here is a brief of the APFC Exam pattern
- The APFC selection process typically involves two stages:
- Recruitment Test (RT): This is an objective-type written examination.
- Interview: Aspirants who qualify in the Recruitment Test (RT) are called for the next phase, i.e., interview.
- Create a Practical Study Plan
- Allocate sufficient time to each subject based on its weightage and your comfort level with the topic.
- Divide the syllabus into smaller, manageable sections to make preparation less overwhelming.
- Establish daily and weekly targets to stay on track and maintain consistent progress.
- Include time for revision and practice to reinforce your learning and improve retention.
- Be flexible with your study plan and adjust it as needed based on your progress and understanding.
- Gather Relevant Study Material
- NCERT Books: These are fundamental for subjects like History, Geography, Economics, and Science.
- Standard Textbooks: Refer to good quality textbooks for each subject (e.g., M. Laxmikanth for Polity, Ramesh Singh for Economics, etc.).
- Current Affairs Resources: Regularly read newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express) and follow reliable online sources.
- Subject-Specific Books: Choose books that comprehensively cover the specific topics in the APFC syllabus (e.g., for Accounting, Labour Laws, etc.).
- Focus on Conceptual Learning
- Don’t just memorize but understand the core concepts.
- Relate theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.
- Make Your Own Notes
- Summarize each topic clearly to make your revision quick and effective.
- Use flowcharts, diagrams, and mind maps to enhance understanding and make revision more engaging.
- Mark important facts, figures, and concepts to focus on essential details during your review.
- Revise Regularly
- Schedule regular revision sessions to reinforce what you have learned and build confidence.
- Revise weekly and monthly to retain information in the long term.
- Practice Previous Year Question Papers (PYQs)
- Solving PYQs helps you understand the exam pattern, question types, and their difficulty level.
- It helps you identify recurring high-weightage topics.
- Practice solving time-bound PYQs helps you improve speed and accuracy.
- Take Multiple Mock Tests
- Mock tests simulate the real exam environment, allowing you to gauge your preparation accurately.
- Analyze your performance to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
- Use mock tests to enhance your time management skills and develop effective exam-taking techniques.
Final Thoughts
The UPSC EPFO APFC exam requires focused preparation. The key to success is understanding the syllabus, having a customized study plan, regular revision, and consistent practice.
You should aim to understand the basic concepts and solve past papers and mock tests. With dedication, you can achieve your goal of becoming an Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner.
