Delhi, March 2: Union Minister for Labour & Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the 239th meeting of Central Board of Trustees (CBT), Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) in New Delhi on Monday. After due deliberations, CBT recommended 8.25 % annual rate of interest to be credited on EPF accumulations in members’ accounts for the financial year 2025-26, retaining the rate for the second consecutive year.
The interest rate would be officially notified by the Government of India, following which EPFO would credit the rate of interest into the subscribers’ account.
EPFO has been able to declare an interest rate of above 8% for the past several years owing to good returns given by ETF and other investments. The decision reflects the strong credit profile of EPFO’s investment portfolio and its sustained ability to deliver competitive returns to its members.
In February last year, the EPFO had retained the 8.25% interest rate for 2024-25. Earlier, in 2023-24, the retirement fund body had raised the rate marginally to 8.25% from 8.15% in 2022-23.
In 2022, EPFO had lowered the interest rate to a more than four-decade low of 8.10% for 2021-22, down from 8.5% in 2020-21. The 8.10% rate was the lowest since 1977-78, when it stood at 8%. In March 2020, the rate had been cut to 8.5% for 2019-20 from 8.65% in 2018-19.
The EPFO had offered 8.65% in 2016-17, 8.55% in 2017-18, and 8.8% in 2015-16. The rate stood at 8.75% in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, higher than 8.5% in 2012-13. It was 8.25% in 2011-12.
