EPF Knowledge Base
EPF interest rate history: 1952-53 to 2025-26
EPFO declares the interest rate for each financial year (April–March) after the Central Board of Trustees meets — usually in February or March. The current rate is 8.25% p.a. for FY 2025-26.
Last 20 years at a glance
Rate axis scaled between 7% and 12.5%. Hover any bar for the exact value. FY labels show the ending year (e.g. "22" = FY 2021-22).
How the EPF rate is set — and why it matters
The EPF interest rate is not fixed by law. Every year, the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of EPFO — which includes representatives from the government, employers, and employee unions — reviews the corpus returns and recommends a rate. The Ministry of Finance then approves (or occasionally revises) it. The rate is applied to the entire balance in your EPF account at the end of the financial year.
The rate peaked in the early 1990s — touching 12% from FY 1986-87 through FY 1999-00 — when government bond yields were also elevated. As interest rates in the economy declined, EPF rates followed, landing at 8.25%–8.65% through most of the 2010s. The FY 2022-23 cut to 8.15% was the lowest rate in four decades and triggered significant debate, before recovering to 8.25% from FY 2023-24 onward.
For FY 2021-22, the 8.10% rate was the lowest since 1977-78 (when it was 7.50%). It was politically contentious because EPFO's corpus had delivered higher returns, and unions argued for at least 8.50%.
Complete rate table: FY 1952-53 to FY 2025-26
| Financial year | Rate (% p.a.) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2025-26 Current | 8.25% | |
| FY 2024-25 | 8.25% | |
| FY 2023-24 | 8.25% | |
| FY 2022-23 | 8.15% | Cut from 8.50% to 8.15% — the lowest in 40 years at the time of announcement |
| FY 2021-22 | 8.10% | Provisional rate; later confirmed at 8.10% |
| FY 2020-21 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2019-20 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2018-19 | 8.65% | |
| FY 2017-18 | 8.55% | |
| FY 2016-17 | 8.65% | |
| FY 2015-16 | 8.80% | |
| FY 2014-15 | 8.75% | |
| FY 2013-14 | 8.75% | |
| FY 2012-13 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2011-12 | 8.25% | |
| FY 2010-11 | 9.50% | One-time special rate; surplus from EPFO investments |
| FY 2009-10 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2008-09 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2007-08 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2006-07 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2005-06 | 8.50% | |
| FY 2004-05 | 9.50% | |
| FY 2003-04 | 9.50% | |
| FY 2002-03 | 9.50% | |
| FY 2001-02 | 9.50% | |
| FY 2000-01 | 11.00% | |
| FY 1999-00 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1998-99 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1997-98 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1996-97 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1995-96 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1994-95 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1993-94 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1992-93 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1991-92 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1990-91 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1989-90 | 12.00% | |
| FY 1988-89 | 11.80% | |
| FY 1987-88 | 11.50% | |
| FY 1986-87 | 11.00% | |
| FY 1985-86 | 10.15% | |
| FY 1984-85 | 9.90% | |
| FY 1983-84 | 9.90% | |
| FY 1982-83 | 9.25% | |
| FY 1981-82 | 9.00% | |
| FY 1980-81 | 8.25% | |
| FY 1979-80 | 8.00% | |
| FY 1978-79 | 8.00% | |
| FY 1977-78 | 7.50% | |
| FY 1976-77 | 7.50% | |
| FY 1975-76 | 7.50% | |
| FY 1974-75 | 7.25% | |
| FY 1973-74 | 7.00% | |
| FY 1972-73 | 6.50% | |
| FY 1971-72 | 6.00% | |
| FY 1970-71 | 5.80% | |
| FY 1969-70 | 5.80% | |
| FY 1968-69 | 5.80% | |
| FY 1967-68 | 5.75% | |
| FY 1966-67 | 5.50% | |
| FY 1965-66 | 5.00% | |
| FY 1964-65 | 4.75% | |
| FY 1963-64 | 4.50% | |
| FY 1962-63 | 4.25% | |
| FY 1961-62 | 4.00% | |
| FY 1960-61 | 4.00% | |
| FY 1959-60 | 3.75% | |
| FY 1958-59 | 3.50% | |
| FY 1957-58 | 3.25% | |
| FY 1956-57 | 3.00% | |
| FY 1955-56 | 3.00% | |
| FY 1954-55 | 3.00% | |
| FY 1953-54 | 3.00% | |
| FY 1952-53 | 3.00% | EPF Scheme commenced November 1952 |
Frequently asked questions
When is the EPF interest credited to my account?
Is EPF interest taxable?
If I withdraw mid-year, do I still earn interest for that period?
Why does the EPFO passbook sometimes show 0% interest for a year?
Can EPFO change the rate retroactively?
How does EPF interest compare to PPF and NPS?
NPS: Market-linked — equity-heavy NPS Tier-1 has returned 10%–12% over 10 years but with volatility. EPF is guaranteed and risk-free.
EPF wins on safety + current yield vs both alternatives for salaried employees. VPF (voluntary top-up to EPF) at 8.25% is currently the best risk-free fixed-income instrument available to salaried employees.
Related guides
Data sourced from EPFO official circulars, Ministry of Labour & Employment notifications, and EPFO Annual Reports. Historical rates (pre-2000) are sourced from EPFO's own published records. Last verified: 2026-05-21.
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