UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC 2025:

Syllabus
According to the official notification, the syllabus of the UPSC EPFO
EO/AO and APFC exams broadly comprises the following topics:

General English
Indian Freedom Struggle
Current Events and Developmental Issues
Indian Polity & Economy
General Accounting Principles
Industrial Relations & Labour Laws
General Science & Knowledge of Computer Applications
General Mental Ability & Quantitative Aptitude
Social Security in India

The syllabus in the official UPSC notification is indicative. Therefore,

we analyzed previous years’ question papers to identify the detailed
syllabus for each exam.

Below is the detailed syllabus of UPSC EPFO EO/AO and APFC

exams:

General English
Here is the detailed general english syllabus:
Parts of speech
Structure of sentence
Subject – verb agreement
Nouns and pronouns
Verbs, tenses and modals
Preposition, conjunction, articles
Adjectives, adverbs, determiners
Reading comprehension

Synonyms and antonyms

Idioms and phrases
One word substitution
Rearrangement para jumbles
Active-passive
Synonyms
Antonyms
General Science
Here is the detailed general science syllabus:

Physics
Units and measurements
Kinematics including distance, displacement, speed, velocity and
acceleration
Dynamics and Newton’s laws of motion
 Electricity
Pressure and its applications
Light – phenomenon like refraction, reflection, total internal
reflection, dispersion, diffraction and interference
Uniform circular motion and simple harmonic motion

Chemistry
Physical and chemical changes
Elements, compounds and mixtures
Atoms and molecules
Chemistry in daily life
Energy – renewable and non-renewable
Metals and non-metals
Acids and bases

Biology
Food components
Health and diseases
Cells and tissues
Organ systems – digestive system, skeletal system, muscular
system, respiratory system, circulatory system and reproductive
system

Space Technology (For APFC only)

Satellites and orbits
Indian space programme
Important space agencies of the world
Applications of space technology

Important Technologies (For APFC only)

Nuclear technology
Biotechnology
Information and communication technology
Nanotechnology
Current Events
Here is the detailed syllabus of current events:

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

Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom

Movement
Here is the detailed syllabus of Indian culture, heritage and freedom
movement:

Decline of Mughal Empire and Rise of Regional Powers

Reasons for disintegration of mughal empire
Later mughals after Aurangzeb
Emergence of regional powers
Weakness of regional politics
Advent of Europeans
Advent of Portuguese in India
Dutch in India
Advent of English in India
Advent of Danes in India
Advent of French in India

Rise of British in India

Anglo French struggle for supremacy
British conquest of Bengal
British conquest of Mysore and Maratha empire
British conquest of Sindh, Punjab, and Awadh
British annexation beyond Indian frontiers
Reorganization of British political system
Police administration
Revenue administration
Significant policies of British to consolidate

Early Reforms During British Rule

Administrative reforms under British rule
Aspects of British administration in India
Civil services
Police system
Judicial system
The army
Development in press
Development in communication and education
Development of railways

Revolt of 1857
Causes of revolt of 1857
Beginning and spread of revolt
Suppression of revolt
 Cause for the failure of revolt
Nature of revolt
Consequences of 1857 revolt

Rise of Nationalism & Formation of INC

Reasons for rise of Indian nationalism
Political associations before Indian National Congress
Highlights of pre – congress political work
Foundation of Indian National Congress
Early nationalists – the moderate era
Contributions of moderate nationalists
Powers and functions of parliament
Prominent moderate leaders
Indian council act of 1892

Swadeshi Movement and Rise of Extremisim

Understanding extremists
Swadeshi movement
Morley Minto reforms

Important Events from 1908 – 1918

First phase of revolutionary activities
Delhi durbars
First world war and nationalist movement
Entry of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian freedom struggle
Important congress sessions between 1908 – 1918

Important Events from 1919 – 1929

Post war economic hardships
Government of India act, 1919
Rowlatt act 1919
Non-cooperation and khilafat movement
Swarajist and 2nd phase of revolutionary interview
 Growth of left movement in India
2nd phase of revolutionary struggle
Simon commission and Nehru report

Important Events from 1929 to 1939

Civil disobedience movement – first phase
Karachi congress session
Round table conferences
Second phase of civil disobedience movement
Communal award and Poona pact, 1932
Government of India act of 1935
Aftermath of civil disobedience movement
Provincial elections of 1937

Important Events from 1940 to 1947

Wardha resolution
August offer and individual satyagraha
Cripps mission
Quit India movement
Constitutional deadlocks after quit India Movement
Indian national army and RIN mutiny
Run up to independence

Socio – Religious Reform Movements

Backdrop of Indian renaissance

Important reform movements and their leaders – eastern India
Important reform movements and their leaders – western India
Important reform movements and their leaders – north India
Other important movement and their leaders
Reform movements of other religions

Miscellaneous Topics of Modern History

 Anti – colonial rebellions in India
Tribal uprisings
Politico – religious uprisings
Major peasant movements

Miscellaneous Topics of Ancient and Medieval History

Indus valley civilization
Vedic age
Rise of mahajanapadas
Mauryan dynasty
Post Mauryan
Gupta age
Harsha empire
Delhi sultanate
Mughal rule in India

Religion & Philosophy in India (For APFC only)

Schools of Indian philosophy
Buddhism & Jainism
Bhakti & sufi movement in India
Important saints in India

Sculptures & Architecture in India (For APFC only)

Sculptures in Indus valley civilisation

Ancient Indian art – Mauryan & Post Mauryan; Gupta & post
Gupta art
Sculptures under Delhi sultanate & mughal rule
Modern sculpture
Pottery in India
Architecture during Indus valley civilisation
Rock cut & cave architecture

Temple Architecture in India (For APFC only)

 Indo Islamic architecture

Indian Music (For APFC only)

History of music in India
Anatomy of Indian music
Types of musical instrument
Schools of Indian music – Hindustani & Carnatic music
Popular folk music styles
Popular folk theatre

Indian Dance Forms (For APFC only)

History of dance in India
Important aspects of dances in India
Classical dance forms in India
Folk dance forms in India

Indian Paintings (For APFC only)

Pre historic paintings in India
Mural paintings in India
Miniature paintings in India
Folk painting styles in India
Modern Indian paintings

Indian languages & Literature (For APFC only)

Language families in India
Scripts in India
Linguistic composition in Indian population
Literature in India

Important Fairs & Festivals in India (For APFC only)

UNESCO World Heritage in India (For APFC only)

Population, Development and
Globalization (For APFC only)
Here is the detailed syllabus of population, development and
globalization:

Indian Geography (For APFC only)

Landforms in India – mountains & hill ranges, plateaus, islands etc.
Political geography – borders of India, locations of states/UTs, etc.
Drainage systems – rivers, lakes, wetlands, etc.
Important places in news

Population (For APFC only)

Distribution of global human population
Population in India – attributes, distribution, and census 2011 data

Development (For APFC only)

Concept of development – meaning, pillars, and processes
Human development – concept and human development index

Globalisation (For APFC only)

Meaning of globalisation
Triggers & barriers for globalisation
Impact of globalisation

Environment (For APFC only)

Basics about pollution & climate change

Governance and Constitution of India

Here is the detailed syllabus of governance and constitution of
India:

Constitutional Framework of India

Historical background of Indian constitution
Making of Indian constitution
Features of Indian constitution
Preamble of Indian constitution
Amendment of Indian constitution
Basic structure theory of Indian constitution

Indian Union and Its Citizens

Making of Indian union Indian citizenship

Rights and Duties of Indian Citizens

Fundamental rights
Directive principles of state policy
Fundamental duties

Centre State Relations

Legislative relations
Administrative relations
Financial relations
Committees/commissions for centre state relations
Interstate relations – interstate councils, zonal councils etc.
Emergency provisions in India

Executives in India
Union Executive

President of India
Vice president of India
Prime minister of India
Council of ministers at centre
 Cabinet committees

State Executive

Governor
Chief minister
Council of ministers at state

Legislatures in India
Parliament of India

Composition of parliament of India

Presiding officers of the parliament
Proceedings of parliament
Legislative procedure in parliament
Annual financial statement – budget
Powers and functions of parliament
Parliamentary privileges
Committees of the parliament

State Legislature

Composition of state legislature

Eligibility of a member of state legislature
Presiding officers of the state legislature
Proceedings of state legislature
Legislative proceedings in the state legislature
Election system in India

Judiciary in India
Supreme court of India
High courts in India
Subordinate courts
 National legal service authority
Tribunals in India

Constitutional and Non – Constitutional Bodies in India

Major constitutional bodies
Major non – constitutional bodies
Quasi – judicial bodies
Pressure groups
Regulatory bodies

Local Governments in India

Panchayati raj institutions
Municipalities

Miscellaneous Topics
Union territories
Scheduled and tribal areas
Special provisions for some state
Comparison of Indian constitution with other countries

Present Trends in Indian Economy

Here is the detailed syllabus of present trends in Indian economy:

Introduction to Demand and Supply

Microeconomics v macroeconomics
Basics of demand
Basics of supply
Equilibrium

Elasticity of Demand
 Concept and factors affecting demand
Shift in demand curve
Price elasticity of demand
Cross elasticity of demand
Income elasticity of demand

Measurement of Growth
Basics of economy
Circular flow of income
Gross domestic product
Important macroeconomic identities
Growth, welfare and development
Market structures

Poverty Alleviation and Employment Generation in India

Poverty

Poverty and its types

Measurement of poverty
Poverty related sustainable development goals

Employment in India

Employment generation in India

Types of unemployment in India
Measurement of unemployment
Status of employment in India

Economic History of India

Indian economy: a brief overview
Various sectors of the economy
Features of the Indian economy
 Concerns facing the Indian economy
Underdevelopment
Meaning and types of economic planning
Economic planning in India before and after independence
Economic reforms in India
NITI aayog

Monetary Policy
Basics of monetary policy
Monetary policy in India
Instruments of monetary policy
Types of monetary policy
Financial institutions in India

Inflation
Meaning and its causes
Effects of inflation
Important terms associated with inflation
Measures to control inflation
Measuring inflation
Inflation targeting in India
Trends of inflation in India

Fiscal Policy
Basics of budget
Basics of fiscal policy
Components of budget
Measures of government deficit
Public debt in India
Goods and services tax

Regional Economic Cooperation

 Regional Economic Integration
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation
Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
One Belt, One Road and Maritime Silk Route
Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Indian Ocean Rim Association

Indian Ocean Commission

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
BRICS
India’s Experience with Free Trade Agreements

International Economic Institutions

Introduction
The world bank
The international monetary fund
World trade organisation

Opening UP of the Indian Economy, Balance of Payment

Balance of payment
Exchange rate
Types of currencies
Exchange rate management in India

Industrial and Labour Policy

Introduction
Evolution of India’s industrial policy
Disinvestment
 Micro, small and medium
Enterprises in India
Special economic zones
National investment and
Manufacturing zones
National manufacturing policy
Industrial corridors
Indices/surveys to measure industrial performance in India
Labour policy

Finance Commission
Appointment
Composition of finance commission
Roles & responsibilities
Procedures and functioning
14th finance commission
15th finance commission

Accountancy
Here is the detailed accountancy syllabus:

Introduction to the Accounting

Meaning of an economic event
Branches of Accounting
Understanding the process of accounting
Objective of Accounting

Theory Base of Accounting

Accounting principles and conventions
Accounting terminology

Recording of Transactions
 Business transactions and source document
Accounting equation
Accounting books – journal, ledger, cash book and other
accounting books
Rules of debit and credit
Types of accounts
Logic of recording of transactions
Trial balance
Concept, importance, and role of trial balance
Types of accounting errors
Formation of trial balance
Suspense account

Bills of Exchange
Concept and introduction
Parties of bill of exchange
Modus operandi of bills of exchange
Promissory note
Discounting of bills – process
Rebate of bill of exchange

Accounting Standards
Accounting for share capital
Accounting for inventory and investment
Accounting for bonus shares and buyback of shares

Preparation of the Final Accounts

Understanding of trading account, profit and loss account and
balance sheet

Ratio Analysis
Concept and type of ratios
Cash flow statement
Auditing (For APFC only)
Here is the detailed 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

Industrial Relations and Labour Laws

Here is the detailed industrial relations and labour laws syllabus:

Industrial Relations
Overview of industrial relations
Indian labour force
Trade union
Collective bargaining
Industrial discipline and grievance procedure
Industrial conflicts and disputes
Settlement of industrial disputes
Labour welfare
Wages
Workers participation management
International industrial relations
Industrial health & safety
Miscellaneous
 Labour Laws
Payment of wages act, 1936
Minimum wages act, 1948
Trade union act, 1926
Factories act, 1948
Industrial employment (standing orders) act, 1946
Industrial disputes act, 1947
The child and adolescent labour (prohibition and regulation) act,
1986
Inter-state migrant workmen (regulation of employment and
conditions of service) act, 1979
Payment of bonus act, 1965
Building and other construction workers act, 1996

Labor Codes
Code on wages
Industrial relations code
Social security code
Occupational safety, health and working conditions code

Insurance (For APFC exam only)

Here is the detailed Insurance syllabus:

Introduction to Insurance (For APFC only)

Insurance – basic concept and definition
Risk and insurance
Different parties of insurance
Modus operandi of insurance
Basic terminology of insurance

Principles of Insurance (For APFC only)

 Principle of utmost good faith
Principle of insurable interest
Principle of proximate cause
Principle of subrogation
Principle of loss minimization
Principle of indemnity
Principle of contribution

Types of Insurance (For APFC only)

Life insurance and its types
Term insurance
Unit-linked insurance plan
Pension plans
Money back policy
General insurance and its types
Motor insurance
Home insurance
Fire insurance
Miscellaneous other type of insurance

Insurance as a Part of Social Security (For APFC only)

Insurance schemes
Insurance role in social security
Difference between social security insurance schemes and private
insurance schemes
Current state of insurance in India
Emerging concepts in the insurance industry

Social Security
Here is the detailed social security syllabus:
 Social Security Schemes
Types of retirement schemes
National pension system
Atal pension yojana
Social security schemes

Social Security Legislations

Employees compensation act, 1923
Employees’ state insurance act, 1948
Employees’ provident fund and miscellaneous provisions act, 1952
Maternity benefit act, 1961
Payment of gratuity act, 1972
Unorganized workers social security act, 2008

Basic Knowledge of Computer

Applications
Here is the detailed syllabus of basic knowledge of computer
applications:

Introduction to Computer
Computer – definition and major parts of computer
Uses of computers, along with advantages and disadvantages of
using computers.
History of computer
Generation of computer
Types of computers

Computer Organisation and Data Processing Cycle

Computer organization
Data processing cycle
Instruction cycle
 Hardware and Software
Introduction to the computer hardware and software parts, input
and output devices
Functions of motherboard
Types of software

Memory
Introduction
Memory hierarchy
Memory management
Memory measurement

Operating System
Introduction
Functions of operating system
Types of operating system
Basic understanding of MS-DOS and windows

Computer Network
Introduction
Components of computer network
Types of computer network
Computer network architecture
Network protocols
Network topology
Introduction to the internet

Commonly Used Short-cuts and Full Form Used in

Computer Parlance

Quantitative Aptitude
Here is the detailed 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 Mental Ability

Here is the detailed syllabus of general mental ability:

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

Statistics (For APFC exam only)

Here is the detailed syllabus of statistics:

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 part
Sampling and different methods of sampling

UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC: Books and

Resources
Here are the most recommended books and resources to prepare
for the UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC exams:

General English 

Indian Culture, Heritage and Freedom

Movement 