Past UPSC papers are the closest thing to the real EPFO exam. They help candidates preparing for Enforcement Officer, Accounts Officer and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner posts to see how UPSC frames questions.
UPSC publishes previous question papers on its website, so that is the safest place to get them. Find more on our Question Papers page.
UPSC EPFO Previous Year Question Papers: Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam | UPSC EPFO Recruitment Test (EO/AO and APFC) |
| Conducted By | Union Public Service Commission |
| Mode | Offline, pen and paper |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Negative Marking | One-third |
Available Previous Year Papers
| Post | Exam Dates to Look For |
|---|---|
| EPFO APFC | 30 November 2025 |
| EPFO APFC | 2 July 2023 |
| EPFO APFC | 10 January 2016 |
| EPFO EO/AO | 2 July 2023 |
| EPFO EO/AO | 5 September 2021 |
| EPFO EO/AO | 26 February 2017 |
Official and Other Papers
Papers on the UPSC website are official. Memory-based papers, model papers and mock tests from coaching sites are different. They can be useful for practice, but they are not the actual question papers. Always check where a file comes from.
Exam Pattern
| Part | Topics |
|---|---|
| Part A | General English and vocabulary |
| Part B | Indian culture, freedom movements, current events, polity, economy, labour laws, social security, accounting, computers, general science, quantitative aptitude, mental ability |
How to Download Question Papers
We are linking the official UPSC page and not direct PDFs, because we could not verify individual file links.
On an Android phone:
- Open the UPSC previous question papers page below in Chrome.
- Look for the EPFO exam and year.
- Tap the PDF link.
- Find it later in your Downloads folder or Files app.
On a computer:
- Open the same page.
- Search with Ctrl + F for “EPFO” or “Provident Fund”.
- Click the PDF, then use the download icon.
Benefits of Solving Previous Year Papers
- You learn how UPSC words its questions.
- You see which Part B areas come up often.
- You practise finishing within two hours.
- You learn when to skip, which matters with one-third negative marking.
How to Use Papers for Preparation
Solve your first paper before you feel fully ready, as this shows you your real starting point. Set a timer for 2 hours, and sit without your phone.
Use older papers for topic practice, and keep the most recent ones for full mock sessions near the exam. Please check the latest syllabus too, because older papers may include topics that have since changed.
How to Analyse Your Performance
Check your paper with an answer key from a reliable source, and record your marks using the one-third penalty. Next, sort your mistakes into three groups: did not know, knew but made an error, and ran out of time. Each group needs a different fix.
Important Links
| Link | Open |
|---|---|
| UPSC Previous Question Papers | Click Here |
| UPSC Official Website | Click Here |
Related: UPSSSC PET Previous Year Question Papers and our Syllabus page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the UPSC EPFO paper?
It lasts 2 hours and carries 300 marks.
Is there negative marking?
Yes, one-third, as reported for this exam.
Is the exam online?
No. It is an offline, pen and paper exam.
Are memory-based papers official?
No. Only papers published by UPSC are official.