CrackTarget
UPSC APFC 2026
Syllabus & Exam Pattern
The Recruitment Test for Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner follows Special Advertisement No. 52/2026. Nine papers. One objective paper. Written test on 20 December 2026.
How the APFC Recruitment Test is structured
Figures below are those already published against Advt 52/2026 / Vacancy No. 26085201722 on CrackTarget. Confirm any live change on upsconline.nic.in/ora.
| Stage | What happens | Marks / weight |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment Test | 120 objective questions, 2 hours, English and Hindi, 1/3 negative marking, pen and paper on 20 December 2026 | 300 marks · 75% |
| Interview | Personality test for candidates who clear the RT shortlist | 100 marks · 25% |
| Final merit | Combined score of RT and Interview | 400 marks |
Post
Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC), EPFO, Ministry of Labour & Employment. Group A, Level-10.
Vacancies
80 posts: UR 29, OBC 18, SC 15, ST 10, EWS 8. Three reserved for PwBD.
Eligibility snapshot
Degree of a recognised university. Desirable: diploma in Company Law / Labour Laws / Public Administration. Age on 11 Sep 2026: UR/EWS 35, OBC 38, SC/ST 40.
Complete APFC syllabus — nine papers
Official paper titles and short descriptors as used on the existing APFC page. UPSC does not publish a paper-wise mark split in the advertisement. “High weight” on Papers 07 and 08 is CrackTarget’s existing analysis label, not an official percentage.
01 · General English
→ 100 Golden Rules of English Grammar → Idioms & phrases → Repeated vocabulary02 · Indian Culture, Heritage & Freedom Movements
→ Ancient history of India → Medieval history → Modern Indian history → Indian National Movement03 · Developmental Issues & Present Trends in Indian Economy
→ Economic development and planning → Fiscal and monetary policy → Monetary policy notes → Economic Survey 2024-2504 · Governance and Constitution of India
→ Preamble → Structure of Parliament → Finance Commission → Public Administration & Development Issues05 · General Science & Basic Computer Applications
→ Physics basics → Biology for UPSC → Chemistry one-liners → Basics of computer06 · Elementary Mathematics, Statistics & Mental Ability
→ Percentages → Simple & compound interest → Time and work → Time, speed and distance07 · IR, Labour Codes & Social Security High weight
→ Labour Laws in India → New Codes vs Old Acts → Code on Social Security, 2020 → EPF & MP Act, 1952 → UPSC-level Labour MCQs08 · Accountancy, Auditing & Insurance High weight
→ The Basic Accounting → Partnership Accounting → Cash Flow & Fund Flow → 120 Accountancy MCQs09 · Current Events of National & International Importance
→ Daily CA hub → India’s key officials → Union Budget notesTurn the syllabus into a study order
1. Read the paper list once
Do not start with random GS. APFC is nine named papers. Papers 07 and 08 decide more ranks than recycled CSE notes.
2. Attempt a previous paper
Sit a real APFC / EPFO paper before expanding notes. Then map every miss back to a paper number.
3. Study the miss, not the whole internet
Open only the note that matches the topic. Labour Codes, EPF, ESI, partnership accounts and cash flow come first for most candidates.
4. Test on the same pattern
120 questions, 2 hours, 1/3 negative. Free full-length mocks live on CrackTarget.
Useful CrackTarget notes for APFC aspirants
Links below are existing CrackTarget pages, grouped by APFC paper. BPSC-only tests, Ayurveda papers and unrelated vacancy posts are left out.
Paper 07 — Labour, IR & Social Security
Paper 08 — Accountancy, Auditing & Insurance
Paper 03 — Economy & development
Paper 04 — Governance & Constitution
Paper 02 — Culture, heritage & freedom movement
Paper 01 — General English
Paper 05 — Science & computer
Paper 06 — Maths, statistics & mental ability
Practice, PYQs and mocks
Office-procedure and noting-drafting notes exist on CrackTarget and help interview / file-work awareness; they are not a named written-paper head in Appendix-I. Management notes (HRM, marketing) help related regulatory exams and Paper 07 themes such as workers’ participation — they are not a separate APFC written paper.
Next step after the syllabus
Attempt one previous paper, then one free mock. Let the misses choose the next note.