The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has reported its highest-ever monthly net addition of 20.06 lakh members in May 2025, marking a historic milestone since the inception of payroll data tracking in April 2018. This reflects a 4.79% growth over April 2025 and a 2.84% year-on-year increase compared to May 2024.
Union Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attributed this achievement to the pro-youth, pro-worker reforms driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, emphasizing that the government’s continued focus on ease of doing business and inclusive growth is fueling formal employment expansion.
“This is a testament to the strengthening of India’s organized workforce and the government’s commitment to building a robust labour ecosystem for a Viksit Bharat,” Mandaviya said.
Key Highlights from EPFO Payroll Data
New Members Enrolled: EPFO enrolled 9.42 lakh new subscribers, an 11.04% rise over April 2025, signaling expanding employment opportunities and heightened awareness of social security benefits.
Youth Employment Trends: The 18-25 age group accounted for 5.60 lakh new additions, representing 59.48% of total new members. This reflects a 14.53% monthly rise and a continuation of the trend of young, first-time job seekers joining the organized workforce.
Rejoined Members: 16.11 lakh members rejoined EPFO after previous exits, showing a 2.12% increase over April and a robust 14.27% growth year-on-year. These figures highlight growing job mobility while preserving long-term social security coverage.
Women Workforce Participation: Female enrolment saw a steady rise, with 2.62 lakh new women subscribers in May — up 7.08% from April. Net female payroll addition stood at 4.25 lakh, marking a 15.04% year-on-year surge, reflecting growing female participation in the formal economy.
State-wise Performance
Top contributors to net payroll additions were Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, collectively accounting for nearly 60% of the total. Maharashtra alone contributed 20.33% of the new payroll.
Industry Trends
Growth in payroll additions was most prominent in sectors such as:
- Expert Services (44.61% of additions, predominantly manpower suppliers)
- Textiles
- Cleaning & Sweeping Services
- Electrical, Mechanical & General Engineering
- Finance
- Garments Manufacturing
The steady rise in EPFO memberships reflects increased formalization of the workforce, expanding job opportunities for the youth and women, and a maturing awareness around long-term financial security among employees.
