EPFO APAR 2024-25: Disclosure Starts February 19 Under Revised SPARROW Timelines
As of February 18, 2026, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has revised the Annual Performance Assessment Report (APAR) schedule for the reporting year 2024-25. Following the deadline for Reviewing Officers on February 16, 2026, the focus now shifts to the disclosure of reports to the officers reported upon. This extension was necessitated by pending assessments during the first full cycle of SPARROW implementation in the department.
- Order Reference: File No. HRD-11/65/2025/APAR/2024-25
- Issuing Authority: Head Office, Ministry of Labour & Employment (HRD-II)
- Date of Issue: 12.02.2026
- Key Action: Disclosure of APAR to employees begins 19.02.2026
Revised Schedule for APAR Completion (2024-25)
The Competent Authority has finalized the following dates. If you are an officer reported upon, your immediate attention is required starting February 19, 2026. Any APAR pending with the Reviewing Officer beyond February 16 has likely been auto-forwarded to the next stage.
| Activity | Revised Deadline | Auto Forward Date |
|---|---|---|
| Completion by Reviewing Officer | 16.02.2026 | 17.02.2026 |
| Disclosure to Officer Reported Upon | 19.02.2026 | – |
| Submission of Representation (if any) | 05.03.2026 | – |
| Forwarding to Competent Authority | 11.03.2026 | – |
| Disposal of Representation | 10.04.2026 | – |
| Final Taking on Record | 13.04.2026 | – |
Note: The timeline for submitting a representation is strictly 14 days from the date of disclosure. The window closes on March 05, 2026.
Understanding the “Auto Forward” Mechanism
The circular explicitly mentions that these timelines are maximum limits. The SPARROW system is programmed to “Auto Forward” APARs that are not processed by the deadline. If your Reviewing Officer did not grade your APAR by February 16, 2026, the system forces the file to the next stage without their remarks. In such cases, the assessment of the Reporting Officer becomes final for that specific channel, provided the Reporting Officer completed their part on time.
Most officers panic when they see “Pending with Custodian” status immediately after a deadline passes. This is standard; the batch processing for auto-forwarding often takes 24 to 48 hours to reflect on the dashboard depending on server load.
Representation Protocol: What You Must Do
If you disagree with the grading or remarks disclosed to you on February 19, you have until March 05 to upload a representation. Do not file a representation for generic grievances. It must be specific to factual errors in the APAR or adverse remarks that were not previously communicated. The Competent Authority is required to dispose of these representations by April 10, 2026.
Covered Under These Orders
All Group A and B officers of EPFO
Officers managed via SPARROW portal
Cases pending at Reviewing Officer level
Exceptions & Edge Cases
Staff dealing with physical APARs (Group C/MTS in some regions)
Officers on deputation to organizations outside SPARROW mapping
NRC (No Report Certificate) cases due to leave
Period of service less than 3 months (Non-Assessment)
Common SPARROW Mapping Errors
Since this is the first year of full SPARROW implementation for many cadres, verify your “Workflow Details” tab immediately upon receiving the disclosure. A common administrative error involves the “Custodian” mapping being linked to the wrong Regional Office after a mid-year transfer. If your representation is sent to the wrong Custodian, it may sit unaddressed until the April deadline passes, requiring manual intervention later.
What happens if I miss the March 5 deadline for representation?
The SPARROW window for representation will close automatically. You will then have to file a physical representation with a request for condonation of delay to the HRD Head Office, which is rarely granted without a compelling medical or administrative reason.
Did the Reviewing Officer deadline extend for all zones?
Yes. The order dated February 12, 2026, applies to all Additional CPFCs (Zones), PDNASS, and ZTIs uniformly. The cut-off remained February 16, 2026, for everyone.
Can a Reviewing Officer grade the APAR after Feb 16?
No. Once the auto-forward trigger executes on February 17, the Reviewing Officer loses write access to the APAR. The file moves to the Disclosure stage automatically.
When will the final APAR be available for download?
The final taking on record is scheduled for April 13, 2026. After this date, you should be able to download the complete Dossier for 2024-25 from your “Completed APAR” tab.
हिंदी सारांश
कर्मचारी भविष्य निधि संगठन ने वर्ष 2024-25 के लिए एपीएआर की समय सीमा को संशोधित किया है। मुख्य कार्यालय के आदेश अनुसार 19 फरवरी 2026 से सभी अधिकारियों को उनका एपीएआर दिखाया जाएगा। यदि कोई अधिकारी अपनी ग्रेडिंग से संतुष्ट नहीं है तो वह 14 दिनों के भीतर यानि 05 मार्च 2026 तक अपना अभ्यावेदन प्रस्तुत कर सकता है। यह समय सीमा अंतिम है और इसके बाद स्पैरो पोर्टल पर लिंक बंद हो जाएगा।
