UPSC EPFO APFC Registration 2026: How to Apply Online

1. Where and When to Apply

• Application portal: https://upsconline.nic.in/ora/
• Application window opened: 22 August 2026
• Closing date (extended): 6:00 PM on 14 September 2026
• Candidates are advised to submit their application well in advance rather than waiting for the closing date, since server load typically peaks in the final hours.

2. The Four-Module Application Structure

UPSC's online application portal is structured into four modules. The first three are common across all UPSC recruitments and, once filled, don't need to be repeated for future applications:

1. Account creation – basic login credentials on the portal.
2. Universal Registration (URN) – generates a Universal Registration Number that stays constant across all future UPSC recruitment applications.
3. Common Application Form (CAF) – captures personal, educational, and category details common to all posts.
4. Post/vacancy-specific module – filled separately for this specific APFC recruitment, generating a dynamic Application Number tied to this post only.

Candidates should retain both the URN and the post-specific Application Number for any future correspondence with the Commission.

3. Photograph & Signature Requirements

• Live photo capture: Along with uploading a photograph, applicants must also capture a live photograph while filling the CAF. Both must be clear and match the portal's instructions.
• Signature: Applicants must sign three times, one below the other, on a plain white sheet using black ink, and upload this as their signature. The uploaded signature must be clear and legible.

4. Documents to Upload

Every claim made in the form must be backed by a separate uploaded document (in PDF), including:

• Matriculation/10th certificate or equivalent mark sheet as proof of date of birth
• Degree/Diploma certificate as proof of educational qualification (or provisional certificate with all academic mark sheets if the final certificate isn't yet issued)
• Equivalence order/letter, if claiming an equivalent qualification
• Caste certificate in the prescribed proforma, for SC/ST/OBC candidates seeking reservation
• OBC non-creamy-layer declaration, where applicable
• Disability certificate in the prescribed proforma, for PwBD candidates
• Age relaxation certificates, for Ex-Servicemen, Central/UT Government employees, or other special categories
• Name-change supporting documents, where applicable

Documents like pay slips, resumes, appointment letters, relieving letters, or unsigned experience certificates should not be uploaded in the document module.

5. Application Fee

• Fee: ₹25, payable via Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card, UPI, or internet banking of any bank.
• Fee exemption: Female candidates, and SC/ST/PwBD candidates of any gender, are exempted from the fee.
• No exemption for: OBC, EWS, and unreserved male candidates, who must pay the full fee.
• Non-refundable: Once paid, the fee is not refunded under any circumstance and cannot be carried forward to another exam.
• Applications submitted without the prescribed fee are summarily rejected, with no scope for representation against such rejection.

6. Important Rules Before You Submit

• No withdrawal: Applications cannot be withdrawn once submitted.
• No post-submission correction: No correction, alteration, or modification of any field is allowed after the form is submitted – review every entry carefully before hitting submit.
• Date of birth is final: Once entered in the application, the date of birth cannot be changed on subsequent request.
• One-time URN edit facility: The URN profile can be updated once, but changes only apply to applications submitted after the URN is re-locked – they do not retroactively affect an application already submitted.
• Photo ID for future reference: Candidates must provide details of one photo ID (Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN, Passport, or Driving License) in their URN profile, and carry the same ID to the Recruitment Test and Interview. Aadhaar is strongly recommended for smoother verification.