In a major boost to India’s formal employment landscape, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) recorded its highest-ever net payroll addition in May 2025, with 20.06 lakh new members added, according to official data released Monday.
This historic figure includes 9.42 lakh first-time subscribers—an 11.04% jump over April—marking the strongest payroll performance since data tracking began in April 2018. The spike reflects not only rising job creation but also increasing awareness of employee benefits and successful outreach by EPFO.
The surge was driven heavily by youth, with the 18–25 age group accounting for nearly 60% of all new subscribers. A total of 5.60 lakh newcomers from this demographic joined in May alone, a 14.53% increase over the previous month. Overall, 8.73 lakh net additions were recorded in this age group, largely representing first-time job seekers entering the organized workforce.
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Adding to the strong numbers, approximately 16.11 lakh individuals who had previously exited the EPFO system rejoined in May, opting to transfer their funds instead of withdrawing, indicating renewed job opportunities and long-term financial planning.
Female participation also saw a notable rise, with 2.62 lakh new women subscribers joining in May—up 7.08% month-on-month. Net female payroll additions stood at 4.25 lakh, showing a robust 15.04% growth compared to May 2024.
Geographically, Maharashtra led the hiring surge, contributing over 20% to the total net payroll, followed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana.
Industry-wise, the expert services sector remained dominant, contributing nearly 45% to the net payroll additions, with manpower suppliers accounting for more than half of that share.
The May 2025 data underscores a significant upward trend in formal employment, offering strong signals of economic recovery and workforce expansion across sectors and states.
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