Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, May 21: The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) registered a net addition of 14.58 lac members in March 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 1.15%, as per the latest payroll data released by the ministry of Labour on Wednesday.
Out of these, around 7.54 lakh were new subscribers, showing a monthly growth of 2.03% and a marginal year-on-year increase of 0.98% over March 2024. The surge in new enrollments is attributed to better employment prospects, increasing awareness about social security, and EPFO’s robust outreach initiatives.
A significant proportion nearly 58.94% or 4.45 lac of the new subscribers belonged to the 18-25 age group, indicating active onboarding of first-time job seekers. This age group also recorded a 4.21% increase over February and a 4.73% rise compared to March last year.
Rejoining members also made a considerable impact on the net addition. Nearly 13.23 lac individuals who had earlier exited EPFO coverage returned in March, showing a 0.39% monthly growth and a substantial 12.17% rise over the previous year. These members opted to transfer their balances rather than settle their accounts, thereby securing long-term financial protection.
The data also reflected increased female participation. About 2.08 lac new female subscribers joined in March 2025, with a slight 0.18% monthly growth and a 4.18% increase year-on-year.
Overall, the net addition of female members stood at 2.92 lakh, representing an annual growth of 0.78% a sign of a more inclusive workforce, the ministry noted.
State-wise analysis showed that five states and union territories accounted for nearly 59.67% of the total net additions. Maharashtra emerged as the top contributor, accounting for 20.24% of the total payroll increase in March. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana also each contributed over 5% to the national total.
Since April 2018, EPFO has been releasing monthly payroll data, covering the period from September 2017 onwards. The figures are provisional, as updates to employee records continue in a dynamic process.