NEW DELHI, Mar 2: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has fixed the interest rate on employees’ provident fund (EPF) deposits for 2025-26 at 8.25%, retaining the rate for the second consecutive year, a source said. In February last year, the EPFO had also retained the 8.25% rate of interest for 2024-25 fiscal year.
The EPFO in 2024 had increased the interest rate marginally to 8.25% for 2023.24 from 8.15% the previous year. In March, 2022, the EPFO had lowered the interest for 2021-22 to over four-decade low of 8.10% for its over seven crore subscribers, from 8.5% in 2020-21.
The 8.10% rate for 2020-21 was the lowest since 1977-78, when the rate stood at 8%.
“The EPFO’s apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT) has decided to provide 8.25% rate of interest on EPF for 2025-26 at its meeting on Monday (March 2, 2026),” the source said.
After the CBT’s decision, the interest rate on EPF deposits for 2025-26 will be sent to the Ministry of Finance for concurrence. After the government’s ratification, the interest rate for 2025-26 will be credited into accounts of over seven crore subscribers of EPFO.
EPFO provides the rate of interest after it is ratified by the government through the Finance Ministry. In March 2020, EPFO lowered the interest rate on provident fund deposits to a seven-year low of 8.5% for 2019-20, from 8.65% provided for 2018-19.
EPFO provided an 8.65% interest rate to its subscribers in 2016-17 and 8.55% in 2017-18. The rate of interest was slightly higher at 8.8% in 2015-16. The retirement fund body gave 8.75% rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5% for 2012-13. The rate of interest was 8.25% in 2011-12.
(Rohit Kumar)
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