Checked 29 September 2026. From the EPF Section Supervisor LDCE Scheme 2023 (circular of 19.01.2024) and the notice of 07.06.2024. The scheme says the pattern is notified with each examination, so the next notice can change it. No notice for the next round had been issued on 29 September 2026.
The Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Section Supervisor is how a Social Security Assistant in an EPFO zone reaches a Group B, Level 7 post on merit rather than by waiting for seniority. One third of Section Supervisor vacancies are filled through it. The exam now runs under the EPF Section Supervisor LDCE Scheme, 2023, issued by EPFO Head Office on 19.01.2024 (No. A-34018/3/2022-EXAM-84), and the last round, held on 22.11.2024 through the National Testing Agency, followed it. This guide sets out the two papers exactly as the scheme prints them, lists every syllabus head in the annexure, compares it with the 2017 scheme it replaced, and marks the laws in the list that have been replaced since it was written. ProSyllabus is an independent study site, not part of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation or the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Every rule here is quoted or summarised from EPFO circulars and Gazette notifications; your zonal office and EPFO Head Office decide every individual case.
Where other pages get this wrong
The Section Supervisor LDCE has been two separate papers of 100 marks and 2 hours each since the 2023 scheme. English and reasoning are 20 marks each, both inside Paper II.
Commonly published instead: Descriptions of a single three-hour paper in two parts, with 30 marks of English in the first part and 30 of numerical ability and reasoning in the second.
That was the 2017 scheme (Exam.3(1)2017/SS, in force 11.12.2017). The 2023 scheme expressly supersedes it, and the notice of 07.06.2024 applies the 2023 pattern: 120 minutes per paper, marks as in the scheme.
EPF Section Supervisor LDCE Scheme 2023, paras 6 and 9; notice of 07.06.2024 (official).
The pattern in one table
| Paper | Time | Marks | Section and marks | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | 2 hours | 100 | EPF Act and Schemes, Manual of Accounting Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures: 70. Services provided by EPFO and Legal Awareness: 30 | Scheme 2023 para 6 (official) |
| Paper II | 2 hours | 100 | Administrative, Service and Financial Rules, RTI Act and NPS: 60. English: 20. Numerical Ability and Test of Reasoning: 20 | Scheme 2023 para 6 (official) |
| Both | 120 minutes each | 200 in all | Computer based examination with MCQs; conducted through NTA in 2024 | Scheme 2023 para 6; notice of 07.06.2024 (official) |
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How many questions in each paper? | Not published. The scheme and the 2024 notice give marks per section, not a question count. | Scheme 2023; notice of 07.06.2024 (official) |
| Negative marking? | Not published. Neither document mentions it. | Scheme 2023; notice of 07.06.2024 (official) |
| Medium | Hindi or English, except where the paper is specially directed to be answered in English only (the English section). | Scheme 2023 para 7 (official) |
| Which version of the rules is examined? | "The questions shall be based on the up-to-date and amended rules / provisions on the subjects." | Scheme 2023 para 6, Note (official) |
| Can the pattern change? | Yes: it "will be decided from time to time by the Competent Authority and notified at the time of notification of the Examination". | Scheme 2023 para 6, Note (official) |
| Exam fee | Not mentioned in the 2024 notice or the scheme. | Notice of 07.06.2024 (official) |
Section marks from the Scheme 2023, para 6 (official).
Read the table as two different exams stapled together. Paper I is about the work a Social Security Assistant does every day: the Act and the three schemes, the accounting manual that governs how contributions, claims and transfers are posted, and the online services members and employers use. Paper II is the office-management paper: service rules, financial rules, RTI and NPS, with a small English and aptitude component. Because the pass rule is a minimum in each paper, a candidate strong in claims work but weak in FR/SR cannot carry a low Paper II on a high Paper I.
Paper I syllabus: EPF law, the accounting manual and EPFO services
The annexure to the 2023 scheme divides Paper I into four heads. The first two carry the 70-mark section and the last two the 30-mark section. The paragraph references below are the annexure's own, not ours; they point into the EPFO Manual of Accounting Procedures (MAP).
| Head | What the 2023 annexure lists | Section |
|---|---|---|
| I. Acts, schemes and the organisation | EPF & MP Act 1952; EPF Scheme 1952; Employees' Pension Scheme 1995; EDLI Scheme 1976; Citizens' Charter; overview of EPFO | 70 marks (with head II) |
| II-A. MAP (General) Part I | Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14, plus noting and drafting | 70 marks |
| II-B. MAP Part II-A (EPF Scheme) | Paras 1.3.1-1.3.2, 1.4.1-1.4.3, 1.5.1, 1.6.1-1.6.2; chapter 2 paras 2.1.1-2.1.26; chapter 3 whole; chapter 4 paras 4.1.1-4.2.2; chapter 5 whole; chapter 6 paras 6.1.20.20-6.1.20.25; chapter 9 paras 9.14.1-9.14.5; chapter 10 paras 10.1.1-10.11.6 and 10.16; chapter 11 paras 11.1.1-11.1.2; chapter 12 para 12.1.1; inoperative accounts | 70 marks |
| II-C. MAP Part II-B (EDLI) | Paras 1.1-1.6, 2.1.1-2.1.3, 2.2.2-2.2.10, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7 and 2.9 | 70 marks |
| II-D. MAP Part III (EPS) | Chapters 1 to 11 | 70 marks |
| II-E. Standard Operating Procedures | SOPs (no list of titles is given) | 70 marks |
| III. Services provided by EPFO | ECR; UAN; grievance handling (CPGRAMS, EPFiGMS, PRO); Shram Suvidha; CAIU portal; e-proceedings; Member e-Sewa; online registration of establishments; DLC; direct UAN allotment and activation; UMANG; dashboards; Desk Review; Legal Framework Document; Concurrent Audit; Exemption; KYC | 30 marks (with head IV) |
| IV. Legal awareness | Provisions of the CrPC, CPC and IPC relevant to EPFO proceedings; Supreme Court and High Court judgments | 30 marks |
The MAP references are narrower than they look. In Part II-A, chapters 3 and 5 are prescribed whole, but most other chapters are prescribed by paragraph range, and chapter 6 by just six sub-paragraphs. Read the paragraph ranges against your office copy of the manual rather than the whole manual. SOPs are named without titles, so on our reading any SOP in force on the date of the exam is fair game, and the up-to-date clause in para 6 points the same way.
Paper II syllabus: service, financial and office rules
| Head | What the 2023 annexure lists | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Part A. Service regulations and rules | EPF (Officers and Employees' Conditions of Service) Regulations 2008; Schedule of Administrative and Financial Powers; EPF Staff (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1971; Allotment of Residence Rules 1972; Fixation of Seniority Regulations 1989; CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964; Joining Time Rules 1979; CCS (Leave) Rules 1972; CCS (Pension) Rules 1972; LTC; CS (Medical Attendance) Rules 1944; DoPT instructions on reservation and rosters; MACP; DoPT instructions on DPCs | 60 marks (with heads B to III) |
| Part B. Fundamental and Supplementary Rules | Definitions; lien; general conditions of service; foreign service; deputation; retirement; standard licence fee; pay and allowances; pay fixation; dismissal, removal and suspension; travelling allowance | 60 marks |
| Part C. Financial rules | GFR 2017 chapters 2, 6, 7, 8 and 12; Government e-Marketplace (GeM) | 60 marks |
| II. RTI | RTI Act 2005, sections 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 | 60 marks |
| III. NPS | National Pension System | 60 marks |
| IV. English | Grammar: usage, sentence formation, narration, transformation, active and passive voice, punctuation | 20 marks |
| V. Numerical ability | Number system, percentage, ratio and proportion, average, time and work, time and distance, rounding numbers and estimation, simple and compound interest, etc. | 20 marks (with VI) |
| VI. Reasoning | Reasoning tests through diagrams, figures and propositions, to judge logical reasoning, quickness of thinking and the ability to differentiate or correlate | 20 marks |
Two of these rule books are general Central Government rules that many departmental exams share. If you want MCQ practice on them, our guide to the CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964 covers the same rules named in Part A; it was written for India Post readers, so ignore its department-specific examples. Note that the annexure names the EPF Staff (CCA) Rules 1971, not the CCS (CCA) Rules 1965. EPFO's Section Officer scheme of 13.10.2025 names the EPF (Staff and Conditions of Service) Regulations, 2025, so on our reading the 1971 rules may since have been folded into those regulations; study the printed 1971 rules alongside the 2025 regulations and ask your office which now governs discipline.
Where the printed syllabus has aged
The annexure was written in 2023, and several things it names have since moved. None of this is an EPFO statement about the next paper, and EPFO has not revised the Section Supervisor annexure. It is our reading, set against the scheme's own instruction that questions follow "up-to-date and amended rules". That clause speaks of amended rules; it does not say in terms that a replacement law joins the syllabus, so treat the right-hand column as preparation, not as the syllabus.
| Named in the 2023 annexure | What has changed | Our reading |
|---|---|---|
| IPC and CrPC (legal awareness) | Replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita from 01.07.2024 | The annexure still names IPC and CrPC and has not been amended. Whether questions will use the new codes is not published; as a precaution, learn the provisions EPFO proceedings use under both names. |
| EPF Scheme 1952, EPS 1995 and EDLI Scheme 1976 | PIB (02.03.2026): the Central Board approved notification of the EPF Scheme, 2026, EPS, 2026 and EDLI Scheme, 2026, which "will replace the current schemes". News On AIR (02.07.2026, reported) says the EPF Scheme, 2026 was notified and took effect on 29 June 2026, replacing the 1952 Scheme. We did not open the Gazette for the EPS and EDLI schemes | The annexure prints the old titles. Learn the 2026 schemes as the current law and know which old paragraph each replaced; which text the next paper follows is not published. |
| CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 | Replaced by the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, notified in December 2021, before the 2023 scheme was issued (PIB, DoPPW year-end review 2021) | The annexure prints 1972. Study the 2021 rules as amended; the up-to-date clause is written for exactly this case. |
| EPF (Officers and Employees' Conditions of Service) Regulations 2008 | EPFO's own Section Officer LDCE Scheme of 13.10.2025 names the "EPF (Staff and Conditions of Service) Regulations, 2025" instead | Two different posts' schemes; the SS annexure was not revised. Expect the 2025 regulations if they have replaced the 2008 ones in your office. |
| EPF & MP Act 1952 alone | PIB says the four Labour Codes, including the Code on Social Security 2020, were made effective from 21 November 2025; the Section Officer scheme of October 2025 names that Code | Not named for Section Supervisor. Whether the next notice adds it is not published; reading the social security chapters is cheap insurance. |
What changed from the 2017 scheme
| Feature | 2017 scheme | 2023 scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Papers | One paper of 3 hours, in two parts of 100 marks | Two papers of 2 hours and 100 marks each |
| First part or paper | English 30 + Staff Service Regulations 70 (2008 regulations, FR/SR, GFR, pension) | EPF law, MAP and SOPs 70 + EPFO services and legal awareness 30 |
| Second part or paper | EPF Act and Scheme 70 + Numerical Ability and Reasoning 30 | Rules, RTI and NPS 60 + English 20 + Numerical Ability and Reasoning 20 |
| Minimum marks | 40% in each part (General), 35% (SC/ST) | 40% in each paper (General), 35% (SC/ST/PwBD) |
| Vacancy year | Financial year | Calendar year |
| Computer Proficiency Test | May be required before promotion | Not mentioned; whether it still applies is not published |
On our reading of the two tables, English fell from 30 marks to 20 and numerical ability and reasoning from 30 to 20, while "Services provided by EPFO and Legal Awareness" is entirely new. The accounting manual, which the 2017 scheme did not name as a head, now sits at the centre of Paper I. A candidate preparing from a 2018 or 2019 guide would over-prepare aptitude and miss the MAP paragraphs.
Section Supervisor LDCE syllabus tracker
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How many papers are there in the EPFO Section Supervisor LDCE?
Two, each of 100 marks and 2 hours, both computer based with multiple-choice questions, under the EPF Section Supervisor LDCE Scheme 2023.
Is there negative marking?
Not published. Neither the 2023 scheme nor the notice of 07.06.2024 mentions it.
How many questions are there in each paper?
Not published. The scheme gives marks per section only.
Can I answer in Hindi?
Yes, except the English section. The scheme says the medium is Hindi or English except where a part is to be answered in English only.
Which rules will the questions follow if a rule has been amended?
The amended one. The scheme says questions are based on up-to-date and amended rules and provisions. Where a named law has been replaced outright (IPC and CrPC, the CCS (Pension) Rules 1972, the EPF, EPS and EDLI schemes), the annexure has not been revised, so learn both the printed and the current text.
Is the Code on Social Security 2020 in the Section Supervisor syllabus?
It is not named in the 2023 annexure. The Code came into effect on 21 November 2025 according to PIB, and EPFO named it in the Section Officer scheme of October 2025. Whether the next Section Supervisor notice adds it is not published.
Are previous question papers available?
EPFO has not published any on its circulars page that we could find. A mock test link was issued before the 2019 exam, but it was for practice on that day only.
Who conducts the exam?
The 2024 round was conducted through the National Testing Agency. PIB reported on 02.03.2026 that EPFO's Central Board approved IBPS as an agency for recruitment and promotion exams; which agency will conduct the next Section Supervisor LDCE is not published.
Sources
- official — EPF Section Supervisor LDCE Scheme, 2023: No. A-34018/3/2022-EXAM-84 dated 19.01.2024, with the syllabus annexure
- official — Notice for the LDCE for promotion to Section Supervisor: No. A-34012/2/2022-EXAM dated 07.06.2024, with Annexure-I (vacancies as on 31.12.2024, anticipated)
- official — EPF Section Supervisor LDCE Scheme, 2017 (superseded): Exam.3(1)2017/SS, in force 11.12.2017
- official — EPF Section Officer LDCE Scheme, 2025: No. RC-RCORC(RC)/5/2025-EPFO-HQ/RC/674 dated 13.10.2025 (listed 22/10/2025). A different post
- official — EPFO circulars page (live list, read 29 September 2026)
- official — PIB, Ministry of Labour and Employment, 21.11.2025 (Release ID 2192463): the four Labour Codes, including the Code on Social Security 2020, made effective from 21 November 2025
- official — PIB, Ministry of Labour and Employment, 02.03.2026 (Release ID 2234502): 239th meeting of the Central Board of Trustees, IBPS approved as an exam agency for EPFO
- official — PIB, Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare, Year-End Review 2021 (Release ID 1786308): CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 notified, replacing the 1972 Rules
- reported — News On AIR (Prasar Bharati), 02.07.2026: Central government notifies the EPF Scheme, 2026, replacing the EPF Scheme, 1952; in effect from 29 June with its Gazette publication. A news report; we did not open the Gazette
- official — Mock test link for the LDCE of 27.07.2019: 3(1)2018/SS/167 dated 25.07.2019 (Wayback copy)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
