UPSC EPFO Cut Off: APFC Previous Year Marks and Target

The UPSC EPFO cut-off is the minimum score a candidate needed at each stage of selection. UPSC sets it at three points: the Recruitment Test (RT, out of 300), the interview (out of 100) and the final merit (out of 400). For the 2026 cycle, 80 Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) posts are on offer, with the RT on 20 December 2026.

Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat previous figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.

UPSC EPFO APFC Previous Year Cut-Off (2023)

These are the 2023 APFC figures as reported from UPSC's cut-off marks notice. Confirm them against the official PDF on the UPSC website before relying on them. UPSC releases cut-offs only after the final result, so use figures for the 2025 cycle only once they appear there.

How to Read the Cut-Off

• RT cut-off: The lowest RT score called for interview in each category.

• Interview cut-off: The fixed minimum in the advertisement: 50 for UR and EWS, 45 for OBC, 40 for SC, ST and PwBD.

• Final cut-off: The RT plus interview total of the last selected candidate. Since 300 plus 100 makes 400, this is the 75:25 weightage in practice.

What Affects the Cut-Off

• Vacancies: Fewer posts usually mean a higher cut-off. The 2026 cycle has 80 APFC posts across all categories.

• Paper difficulty: A tougher RT lowers raw scores across the board.

• Applicant numbers: With no EO/AO posts advertised this year, APFC is the only UPSC EPFO recruitment in this cycle, which may draw more candidates to it.

A sensible goal is an RT score comfortably above the last UR line of about 178, not just touching it. That cushion protects you if the interview goes only moderately well. Track your mock scores out of 300 and watch accuracy, since one-third negative marking punishes guesswork.