The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation finished crediting 8.25 per cent interest for 2025-26 by 15 July, the fastest it has ever completed the annual job. About ₹1.44 lakh crore went into close to 34 crore accounts, Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
That 34 crore figure counts every account EPFO has ever held, dormant ones included. Members actively contributing are generally put at around 7 to 8 crore.
How the rate was set
The Central Board of Trustees recommended keeping the rate at 8.25 per cent at its 239th meeting on 2 March 2026, chaired by Mandaviya. It is the third year running at that level. The rate was 8.15 per cent for 2022-23 and 8.10 per cent for 2021-22, which was a 40-year low when announced.
The board’s recommendation does not take effect on its own. The finance ministry has to agree, because EPF deposits carry a government guarantee and the corpus is invested mostly in government securities and corporate bonds, with a smaller equity share through ETFs. News agencies reported that the ministry gave its concurrence on 18 June, about three and a half months after the board met.
Why it was faster this year
Interest used to land around September or October, sometimes November. This time the credit came in mid-July. Reports credit a new platform called CITES, which folded roughly 123 separate regional field-office databases into one national system. According to those reports, the database migration finished on 30 June, interest was computed across the unified system on 1 and 2 July, and the credit followed on 15 July after a balance-verification check. Interest was processed automatically first, then checked by field staff.
Checking your balance
Members can look at the EPFO Member Passbook portal, signing in with their 12-digit Universal Account Number, password and captcha, then choosing their Member ID. There are three phone routes too. The UMANG app has a View Passbook option under EPFO services. An SMS reading “EPFOHO UAN ENG” to 7738299899 gets a reply, and a missed call to 9966044425 brings back an SMS with the latest balance. The UAN has to be active, and linked to Aadhaar, PAN or a bank account for the missed-call service.
If the entry has not shown up yet, wait a few days, since EPFO updates accounts in phases. Under paragraph 60 of the EPF Scheme, 1952, interest is worked out on the monthly running balance, so a late credit does not cost the member anything. Anyone still missing the entry after the wider update can file a grievance on the EPFiGMS portal or contact their employer or the nearest EPFO office.
Since Budget 2021, interest on an employee’s own contributions above ₹2.5 lakh in a financial year is taxable.
Sources
- EPFO: Has Employees' Provident Fund Organisation changed 8.25% EPF interest rate for FY25-26 – The Economic Times
- EPFO Credits 8.25% EPF Interest for FY26 to 34 Crore Accounts — Earliest Ever: Full Details
- EPFO 8.25% Interest FY26: How to Check Your PF Balance
