EPFO adds 14.58 lakh net members in March 2025; youth and female participation see uptick

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) added 14.58 lakh net members in March 2025, a 1.15% rise over the same period last year, according to the latest provisional payroll data released by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Of the total net additions, 7.54 lakh were new subscribers, registering a 2.03% increase from February 2025 and a 0.98% rise year-on-year from March 2024.

The age group of 18-25 years dominated the new enrolments, accounting for nearly 4.45 lakh new subscribers, about 59% of all new additions. This segment witnessed a 4.73% growth compared to the same period last year.

“This is in consonance with the earlier trend which indicates that most individuals joining the organized workforce are youth, primarily first-time job seekers," the ministry said.

Members rejoining

The data also highlighted that 13.23 lakh members rejoined EPFO in March 2025 after exiting earlier, showing a 12.17% increase year-on-year. These members, mostly job switchers, opted to transfer their EPFO accumulations instead of withdrawing and “thus safeguarding long-term financial well-being and extending their social security protection.”

In terms of gender distribution, around 2.08 lakh new female subscribers were added in March 2025, showing a 4.18% annual growth. Net female payroll additions stood at approximately 2.92 lakh, further indicating an ongoing trend towards a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

State-wise contribution

Maharashtra led the net additions with a 20.24% share, followed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, each contributing over 5% to the month’s total additions.

The top five states accounted for nearly 60% of the net increase.

Industry-wise trends

Significant month-on-month growth was observed in sectors such as restaurants, cement, general insurance, canteens, forwarding agencies, travel agencies, and hotels. Expert services, including manpower suppliers, contractors, and security agencies, continued to drive the trend, contributing around 45.59% of the net additions.

The EPFO has been releasing payroll data since April 2018, covering figures from September 2017 onwards. The payroll data includes first-time Aadhaar-validated Universal Account Number (UAN) holders, exits, and re-entries to determine net monthly additions.