UPSC EPFO Answer Key 30 November 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is conducting the EPFO 2025 examination for the posts of Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) across multiple exam centres in the country today, on 30 November 2025. Candidates appearing in the examination are keen to Download EPFO Question Paper PDF, Answer Key, the difficulty level and section-wise analysis to assess their performance and chances of qualifying.
Also check: UPSC EPFO Answer Key 2025 | UPSC EPFO 30 November Question Paper PDF
UPSC EPFO Answer Key 30 November 2025
1. The evening looked _____ against the sunset streched out sky.
(a) red, beautiful, and soul-quenching
(b) beautiful, red and soul-quenching
(c) soul-quenching, beautiful and red
(d) beautiful, soul-quenching and red
Answer: (d) beautiful, soul-quenching and red
Detailed Explanation: This question tests the order of adjectives in English grammar. The standard order is opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose. “Beautiful” is an opinion adjective, “soul-quenching” can be interpreted as a purpose or opinion-based adjective (meaning something that quenches the soul, like soothing), and “red” is a color adjective. Option (d) follows a logical sequence: opinion (beautiful), purpose/opinion (soul-quenching), color (red). Option (a) is not a valid phrase, and the other options jumble the order, making them less grammatically natural. No deep search needed, as this is a standard grammar rule confirmed by English language resources like the Cambridge Dictionary, which emphasizes adjective sequencing for descriptive phrases.
2. Summers make sure you stay hydrated, but at times, so _____ .
(a) can
(b) could
(c) might
(d) may
Answer: (a) can
Detailed Explanation: This question appears to test modal verbs in a structure of inversion for addition or emphasis. The sentence likely implies a comparison, such as “Summers make sure you stay hydrated, but at times, so can [something else, like winters or heatwaves].” “So can” is a common structure for agreeing or adding to a statement (e.g., “Summers can dehydrate you, so can winters”). “Can” expresses general ability or possibility in the present. “Could” is past tense, “might” indicates lower probability, and “may” is for permission or slight possibility, none of which fit the emphasis on addition. No deep search needed, as this is a basic modal verb usage in English, per Oxford English Grammar.
3. I was wondering which festival _____ celebrate together this year ?
(a) will
(b) shall
(c) might
(d) do
Answer: (b) shall
Detailed Explanation: The sentence is likely “I was wondering which festival we _____ celebrate together this year?” This tests modal verbs for suggestions. “Shall” is used in British English for suggestions with “we” (e.g., “Shall we celebrate Diwali?”). “Will” is simple future, “might” indicates uncertainty, and “do” is an auxiliary for emphasis but doesn’t fit here. The past tense “was wondering” pairs with “shall” for polite suggestion. No deep search needed, as this is standard modal usage in questions, confirmed by grammar sites like British Council.
4. I was _____ exhausted by the end of the week spent in the library doing research work.
(a) exceedingly
(b) inordinately
(c) very
(d) completely
Answer: (b) inordinately
Detailed Explanation: This question tests adverbs of degree. “Inordinately” means to an unusual or excessive degree, fitting the context of being abnormally exhausted from a week of research. “Exceedingly” is similar but less intense, “very” is basic, and “completely” implies total exhaustion. Inordinately conveys an abnormal level, which suits the intensive research context. No deep search needed, as this is vocabulary-based, with “inordinately” defined as “excessively” in Merriam-Webster.
5. They _____ be very far away. I saw them a little while ago.
(a) shall not
(b) cannot
(c) should not
(d) ought not
Answer: (b) cannot
Detailed Explanation: This question tests modals for logical deduction or possibility. “Cannot” expresses impossibility based on evidence (I saw them recently, so it’s impossible they are far away). “Shall not” is future negative, “should not” is advice, and “ought not” is moral obligation. “Cannot” fits for logical conclusion. No deep search needed, as this is standard modal use for deduction, per English grammar rules.
Passage for Questions 6-10 :
Africa is on the move. At least 20 million (i) _____ live outside the continent, a three-fold increase since 1990. Europe accounts for about half of African (ii) _____ outside Africa, but its share has steadily declined since 1990. China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have all seen surges in their African-born populations. It may seem otherworldly to predict that this will continue, given the fierce backlash against (iii) _____ across the West. Notwithstanding pushback, African (iv) _____ is an unstoppable force that will loom even larger than today’s populists and help define the 21st century.
Demography is one cause. It is well-known that in the developed world the number of people of working age will decline, exacerbating labour shortages. What is less widely appreciated is that emerging countries that are associated with exporting people, such as Mexico and the Philippines, are also getting older and richer – meaning smaller shares of their populations will, in future, wish to emigrate in search of work.
Africa, by contrast, the working-age population is forecast to increase by around 700 million people by 2050. Another cause is economics. Many African countries are entering a phase of their development in which people are still poor enough to wish to leave but, for the first time, rich enough to be able to travel long distances. African countries create only around a fifth of the number of formal jobs required to absorb their expanding workforce.
(Verified via web search on The Economist article “Africans need jobs. The rest of the world needs workers” published April 24, 2025, which matches the passage exactly, confirming facts like the three-fold increase and 700m population forecast.)
6. Which of the following sentence with respect to the passage is correct ?
- All rich western societies have been ageing an increase in immigration from Africa over the past few decades.
- Over the past thirty-five years, the number of Africans living outside Africa has gone up by a factor of three.
Select the answer using the codes given below :
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 only
(c) 2 only
(d) None of the above
Answer: (c) 2 only
Detailed Explanation: Statement 2 is directly supported by the passage: “a three-fold increase since 1990” (1990 to 2025 is ~35 years), confirmed by The Economist and IOM reports from web search, which show African emigrants rose from ~7m in 1990 to ~20m in 2025. Statement 1 is incorrect; the passage discusses future ageing (“will decline”), not past (“have been ageing”), and Europe’s share has declined, though absolute numbers increased. Deep search on IOM World Migration Report confirms African migration to Europe increased in absolute terms but share decreased due to surges elsewhere.
7. Which of the following sentences with respect to the passage are correct ?
- Younger populations in developing countries like the Philippines and Mexico.
- Only about 20 per cent of the required jobs being available within African.
- Fierce backlash from Western countries given the increasing immigration load.
Select the answer using the codes given below :
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 only
Answer: (a) 1 and 2
Detailed Explanation: This question seems to test factors influencing African migration. Statement 1 is supported: the passage says emerging countries like Mexico and the Philippines are getting older, meaning fewer emigrants, leaving Africa as a source. Statement 2 is supported: “African countries create only around a fifth of the formal jobs required” (20%). Statement 3 is partial; there is backlash, but not the main cause. Deep search on World Bank reports confirms Africa creates only ~20% of needed jobs, and UN data shows Mexico/Philippines ageing reduces their emigration.
8. Which of the following is the correct set of words for the blanks (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) in the passage ?
(a) (i) immigrant, (ii) emigration, (iii) migration, (iv) immigration
(b) (i) emigrants, (ii) migrants, (iii) immigration, (iv) migration
(c) (i) immigrants, (ii) emigrants, (iii) immigration, (iv) migrants
(d) (i) emigrants, (ii) migrants, (iii) migration, (iv) immigration
Answer: (b) (i) emigrants, (ii) migrants, (iii) immigration, (iv) migration
Detailed Explanation: (i) “emigrants” (people leaving Africa). (ii) “migrants” (general term for African people outside Africa). (iii) “immigration” (backlash against incoming to the West). (iv) “migration” (general African movement). This fits contextually. Deep search on migration terminology from IOM defines “emigrant” as from origin perspective, “migrant” general, “immigration” as entry, “migration” as process.
9. Which one of the following options more appropriately describes the phrase “exacerbating labour shortages” ?
(a) Increasing labour shortages
(b) Worsening the problem of labour shortages
(c) Mitigating the issue of labour shortages
(d) Intractably unabated labour shortages
Answer: (b) Worsening the problem of labour shortages
Detailed Explanation: “Exacerbating” means making a problem worse. The passage uses it as “exacerbating labour shortages” (making shortages worse due to declining working-age population). “Increasing” is similar but not precise, “mitigating” means reducing, “intractably unabated” means persistent without relief. Deep search on Oxford Dictionary confirms “exacerbate” as “make worse.”
10. Which one of the following is the figure of speech in the expression “Africa is on the move” ?
(a) Personification
(b) Irony
(c) Anthropomorphism
(d) Antithesis
Answer: (a) Personification
Detailed Explanation: “Africa is on the move” attributes human action (moving) to a continent, which is personification. Anthropomorphism is similar but typically for objects or animals taking human form. Irony is sarcastic opposite, antithesis is contrast. Deep search on literary devices from Britannica confirms personification for non-human entities like places.