The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced a significant addition of 14.58 lakh net members during March 2025. This provisional payroll data, released on Wednesday, indicates a positive trend in employment and awareness of employee benefits. The year-on-year analysis reveals a 1.15% increase in net payroll additions compared to March 2024. This increase signifies growing employment opportunities and the effectiveness of EPFO's outreach initiatives in promoting employee benefits.

In March 2025, EPFO enrolled approximately 7.54 lakh new subscribers, marking a 2.03% increase over February 2025 and a 0.98% year-over-year growth compared to March 2024. This growth can be attributed to increased employment opportunities, a heightened awareness of employee benefits, and the success of EPFO's outreach programs.

A notable demographic trend within the new subscribers is the dominance of the 18-25 age group. This group accounted for 4.45 lakh new subscribers, constituting 58.94% of the total new subscribers in March 2025. Furthermore, the number of new subscribers in this age group increased by 4.21% compared to February 2025, and showed a 4.73% growth from March 2024. The net payroll addition for the 18-25 age group in March 2025 is approximately 6.68 lakh, reflecting a 6.49% growth from the previous year. This data aligns with the existing trend of young individuals, particularly first-time job seekers, entering the organized workforce.

In addition to new enrollments, approximately 13.23 lakh members who had previously exited, rejoined EPFO in March 2025. This figure represents a 0.39% increase over February 2025 and a substantial 12.17% year-over-year growth compared to March 2024. These members likely switched jobs and chose to transfer their accumulations instead of opting for final settlement, highlighting a commitment to long-term financial well-being and continued social security protection.

The state of Maharashtra has emerged as a leader in net payroll addition, indicating robust economic activity and employment generation within the region. The rise in female subscribers is another noteworthy trend, reflecting increasing female participation in the organized workforce and greater awareness of social security benefits among women.