The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) recorded a net addition of 21.04 lakh members in July 2025, according to provisional payroll data. This reflects a 5.55% year-on-year increase from July 2024, highlighting rising employment opportunities and growing awareness of employee benefits, supported by EPFO’s outreach initiatives.
The data shows that around 9.79 lakh new subscribers joined EPFO in July, with the 18-25 age group accounting for 61.06% of new additions. Net payroll additions for this age group stood at approximately 9.13 lakh, marking a 4.09% growth from the previous year and underscoring that most new entrants in the organized workforce are young, first-time job seekers.
Rejoined members, those who had previously exited and returned to EPFO, numbered around 16.43 lakh in July, representing a 12.12% increase from July 2024. These members opted to transfer their accumulated balances rather than settle them, extending their social security coverage. Female membership also grew, with 2.80 lakh new female subscribers and a net female payroll addition of 4.42 lakh, reflecting a 0.17% rise from the previous year and signaling a more inclusive workforce.
State-wise, the top five states and union territories contributed roughly 60.85% of net payroll additions, with Maharashtra leading by adding 20.47% of the total. Other states contributing more than 5% each included Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Industry-wise, significant payroll growth was observed in sectors such as iron ore mining, universities, beedi making, garment manufacturing, hospitals, trading and commercial establishments, travel agencies, stone quarries, and other expert services, which together accounted for around 40.21% of total net additions.
EPFO clarified that the payroll data is provisional, as employee records are continuously updated due to late filings, modifications, and retroactive exits. Since April 2018, EPFO has been releasing monthly payroll data covering members joining for the first time via Aadhaar-validated UANs, exits, and re-joins to provide a comprehensive view of net monthly payroll trends.