EPFO Logs All-Time High Member Addition in May 2025

In a major boost to India’s formal employment sector, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) recorded an all-time high net addition of 2 million members in May 2025, as per payroll data released on Monday by the Ministry of Labour & Employment.

This marks the highest-ever monthly net addition since payroll tracking began in April 2018, reflecting sustained momentum in employment generation and formalisation of the workforce.

4.79% Monthly, 2.84% Annual Growth

The May figures represent a 4.79% increase compared to April 2025 and a 2.84% year-on-year rise, reinforcing positive labour market trends. A total of 942,000 new subscribers joined the EPFO during the month — a notable 11.04% jump over April.

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the record as a “historic achievement” and credited the growth to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pro-youth and pro-worker reforms, calling it a testament to the growing strength of India’s organised employment ecosystem.

Youth Dominate EPFO Enrolments

A striking feature of the data is the continued dominance of young workers, particularly in the 18–25 age group, who made up nearly 60% of all new enrolments. Specifically, 560,000 young individuals were newly enrolled in May, a 14.53% increase from April.

Moreover, 873,000 net members in this age bracket were added — a 15.10% rise month-on-month, underscoring the trend of first-time job seekers entering the formal workforce.

Rejoins Reflect Workforce Mobility

The EPFO also reported that 1.6 million members who had previously exited the system rejoined in May 2025 — up 2.12% from April and 14.27% higher than in May 2024. These members chose to transfer their provident fund balances to new employers rather than withdrawing, thereby extending their social security coverage.

Women’s Participation on the Rise

Women’s participation in the workforce also showed encouraging trends. Around 262,000 new female subscribers joined EPFO in May, marking a 7.08% increase over the previous month and 5.84% year-on-year growth. Overall, net female enrolment stood at 425,000, with a 15.04% annual rise, signalling progress toward a more inclusive and gender-diverse workforce.

States and Sectors Leading the Surge

Five states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Haryana — contributed nearly 60% of the net additions, with Maharashtra alone accounting for 20.33% of the total.

Significant growth was observed across various sectors, particularly:

Expert services (44.6% of total additions)

Textile and garment industries

Mechanical, electrical, and general engineering

Cleaning and sweeping services

Finance-related establishments

Within expert services, manpower suppliers alone comprised over 51%, indicating ongoing demand for contract and support personnel in multiple industries.

Sustained Reforms and Data Transparency

Since the launch of monthly payroll data in 2018, EPFO has used Aadhaar-verified Universal Account Numbers (UANs) to track first-time joiners, exits, and re-entries to estimate net monthly additions.

The government has attributed the latest figures to its ongoing outreach efforts, growing awareness of formal employment benefits, and improved economic recovery post-pandemic.

With the 2025 payroll data setting new records, the trend points to robust youth employment growth, increased job mobility, and a deepening formal workforce — key markers of India’s economic resilience.

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