EPFO enrolled around 7.39 lakh new subscribers in February alone. Most new subscribers—57.71%—belonged to the 18-25 age group, suggesting a strong entry of youth into formal jobs.
The organisation said this aligns with trends showing that fresh job seekers are joining the formal workforce in large numbers.
The net payroll addition for the 18–25 age group stood at 6.78 lakh, registering a 3.01% rise from February 2024.
Nearly 13.18 lakh members rejoined EPFO after switching jobs. This marks an 11.85% increase over the same month last year.
These members chose to transfer their provident fund balances instead of withdrawing them, thereby continuing their social security coverage.
The number of new female subscribers stood at 2.08 lakh, up 1.26% from last year. Net female payroll additions touched 3.37 lakh, reflecting a sharp 9.23% growth. The data highlights a growing shift towards a more inclusive and gender-diverse workforce.
Maharashtra led the payroll additions, contributing 20.9% of the total. Together, the top five states—Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Haryana—accounted for nearly 60% of the overall net additions.
Industries such as fish processing, clubs and associations, cleaning services, IT-related services, and airlines witnessed increased hiring.
The expert services category—which includes manpower suppliers, contractors, and security agencies—contributed the highest share at 41.72%.
What is EPF?
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a savings scheme for employees in India, managed by EPFO under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Employers and employees contribute 12% each of the employee’s basic salary to the fund.
The scheme helps salaried individuals build a retirement corpus, with tax-free interest and withdrawals under certain conditions.
EPFO has been publishing monthly payroll data since April 2018, tracking new joiners, exits, and re-entries based on Aadhaar-validated Universal Account Numbers (UANs).
The data remains provisional as updates are made regularly.
