The UPSC LEO exam offers an opportunity to directly contribute to the welfare of workers and the enforcement of labor laws across the nation. As a LEO, you’ll be responsible for ensuring compliance with labor regulations, promoting social justice in workplaces, and more.
Below, I’ll take you through everything you need to know about the UPSC LEO exam, helping you prepare with confidence.
LEO Full Form
The full form of LEO is Labour Enforcement Officer, a prestigious position under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Established in 1936, this ministry plays a vital role in ensuring labor welfare, resolving industrial disputes, and overseeing the implementation of labor laws in India.
The LEO position plays a key role in enforcing labor laws and ensuring fair treatment for workers in the country. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts a competitive exam for this post, making it one of the most sought-after opportunities for aspirants interested in public administration and labor welfare.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Sources
- Strategy
UPSC LEO Notification 2025
The official UPSC LEO notification for 2025 is expected in April/May month of 2025. Once released, I’ll update this page with the latest UPSC Labour Enforcement Officer notification.
UPSC LEO Important Dates 2025
As I mentioned above, the UPSC LEO exam is not conducted regularly. UPSC conducts this exam according to the availability of posts. Below are the expected dates of the UPSC LEO 2025 exam.
UPSC LEO Important Dates | |
Events | Tentative Month |
UPSC LEO 2025 Notification Release | April-May 2025 |
UPSC LEO 2025 Online Registration Start | April-May 2025 |
UPSC LEO 2025 Online Registration Last Date | May 2025 |
Last Date to Pay the Application Fee | May 2025 |
UPSC LEO Recruitment Test Date | July-August 2025 |
UPSC LEO Interview Date | October 2025 Onwards |
Click on the link to download the UPSC LEO 2025 Notification PDF for free. (The link will be active once the UPSC LEO 2025 notification is released.)
Expected UPSC LEO Vacancies 2025
- In the 2017 and 2022 exams, there were 33 and 42 vacancies, respectively.
- While we initially expected a similar number of vacancies in the range of 33 to 42, a recent RTI reveals that 66 positions are currently vacant for the UPSC LEO post.
- Therefore, we anticipate that the UPSC LEO 2025 notification will announce 66 vacancies.
UPSC LEO Eligibility Criteria 2025
UPSC LEO eligibility criteria include age limit, educational qualification, nationality, and number of attempts.
- As per a recent RTI, 66 vacancies have been mentioned for the UPSC LEO post.
Let’s now understand the eligibility requirements for the UPSC LEO 2025 exam
UPSC LEO Age Limit & Relaxation 2025
- The age for the UPSC LEO exam is calculated as of the last date for submission of the online application.
- There is no minimum age mentioned in the official notification.
- The maximum age limit for UPSC LEO exam for the unreserved/general category is 30 years.
- Different reserved categories receive different age relaxations.
You can find the age relaxation details in the UPSC LEO Eligibility article.
UPSC LEO Education Qualification 2025
Here is the minimum essential and desirable educational qualification required to apply for the UPSC LEO 2025 exam:
Essential Education Qualification
To apply for the UPSC LEO exam, you must possess both a degree and a diploma in one of the specified subjects listed below.
- Degree in any discipline with any one of the following subjects from a recognized University or Institute:
- Commerce
- Economics
- Sociology
- Social Work
- Diploma in either of the following from a recognized University or Institute:
- Law
- Labour Relations
- Labour Welfare
- Labour Laws
- Industrial Relations
- Sociology
- Commerce
- Social Work
- Welfare Business Administration
- Personnel Management
Desirable Education Qualification
1 year experience in either of the following:
- Labour Law
- Labour Welfare
- Labour Relations
- Personnel Management in an Industrial Organization
- a Government Establishment
Important Note: Qualifications are relaxable at the discretion of the Union Public Service Commission for reasons to be recorded in writing in case of candidates otherwise well qualified.
Nationality for UPSC LEO
You should be an Indian citizen to be eligible for the UPSC LEO exam.
Number of Attempts for UPSC LEO
- UPSC puts no restriction on the number of attempts.
- As long as you meet all the eligibility criteria, you are eligible to apply for the UPSC LEO exam.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Sources
- Strategy
UPSC LEO Pattern 2025
The selection procedure of the UPSC LEO exam consists of:
- Phase 1 (Recruitment Test)
- Phase 2 (Interview)
UPSC LEO Exam Pattern 2025
Here is the UPSC LEO pattern:
- Phase 1, also known as a recruitment test (RT), is an objective-type test conducted offline.
- It lasts 2 hours and carries a total of 300 marks.
- The test consists of 120 questions, each carrying 2.5 marks.
Negative marking applies, with a deduction of 1/3rd of a mark for every incorrect answer.
- Phase 2, also known as personality test or interview, assesses your personality, suitability, and communication skills.
- It carries a total of 100 marks, and there is a category-wise minimum cut-off, which is
- 50 marks for UR/General
- 45 marks for OBC
- 40 marks for SC/ST/PH
After understanding the UPSC LEO pattern, it’s time to take a look at the syllabus.
UPSC LEO Syllabus
The official syllabus of the UPSC LEO exam broadly comprises the following topics:
- Constitutional Provisions Relating to Labour
- Industrial Relations
- Social Security
- Labour Welfare
- Special Legislations Relating to Building and Other Construction Workers
- Wages and Bonus
- New 4 Labour Codes
- Trade Union Movement
- General Mental Ability
- Current Events of National and International Importance
Here you can find the UPSC LEO syllabus in detail.
UPSC LEO Cut Off Marks
Below, I have mentioned the UPSC LEO cut off marks of the past years:
Important Note: The cut-offs of 2022 have not been released yet. We’ll update them once UPSC releases 2022 cut-off marks. The table below shows the cut-off marks for the recruitment test, interview, and final selection for the year 2017:
UPSC LEO 2017 Cut-Off Marks | ||||
Category | UR | OBC | SC | ST |
Recruitment Test | 160.00 | 142.00 | 128.50 | 133.00 |
Interview | 50 | 45 | 40 | 40 |
Final Selection | 237.50 | 219.72 | 194.25 | 228.58 |
Highest Marks | 267.23 | 251.92 | 268.47 | 228.58 |
Best Books for the UPSC LEO Preparation
Here are the recommended books and resources to prepare for the UPSC LEO exam:
Industrial Relations & Labour Laws Books for UPSC LEO | |
Book | Author/Publication |
Industrial Relations and Labour Laws | Piyali Ghosh |
Elementary Maths Books for UPSC LEO | |
Book | Author/Publication |
Quantitative Aptitude | Dr. R.S. Aggarwal |
Current Books for UPSC LEO | |
For current events, I don’t recommend relying on a single book. Instead, here are some effective resources you should consider to comprehensively cover this section: | |
Website | Newspapers |
PIB UNESCO website Down To Earth website | The Hindu Indian Express |
Social Security Books for UPSC LEO |
For social security, I don’t recommend relying on a single book. Instead, here are some effective resources you should consider to comprehensively cover this section: PIB PRS Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry of Women and Child Development Ministry of Health and Family welfares Ministry of Minority Affairs Ministry of Labour and Employment Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs |
UPSC LEO Salary
A Labour Enforcement Officer is a Grade B post with Level 7 in the Pay Matrix. The basic pay for the LEO position is ₹44,900 with a Grade Pay of ₹4,800. In addition to the basic pay, they are entitled to various allowances such as Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and Transport Allowance (TA) which vary depending on the location of their posting.
So, the in-hand salary of a LEO with allowances is ₹80-90k per month (without income tax deduction). Also, a LEO is liable to leased accommodation, travel allowance, monthly medical allowance, etc.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Sources
- Strategy
UPSC LEO Job Profile
Labour Enforcement Officers play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with labor laws and safeguarding the rights of workers. Their responsibilities span across multiple areas to ensure fair practices in the labor sector. Here are the key responsibilities:
- Inspection and Enforcement: Conduct inspections of establishments to ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations, focusing on promoting welfare and fair practices in Central Sphere Undertakings.
- Legal Action: Initiate and oversee the prosecution of cases against defaulters who violate labor laws or fail to adhere to statutory obligations.
- Dispute Resolution: Facilitate the conciliation of industrial disputes to maintain harmony between employers and workers, ensuring a constructive resolution process.
- Trade Union Verification: Verify trade union memberships to ensure transparency and foster a better understanding of the trade union movement.
- Specialized Labour Inquiries: Undertake special inquiries and investigations into labor-related matters to address pressing issues and provide actionable recommendations.
Who Should Prepare for the UPSC LEO Post?
Anyone who aspires to be a Grade B officer and working in the Ministry of Labour & Employment with very little effort should consider preparing for the UPSC LEO exam.
There can be multiple motivational factors to prepare for this exam, for eg., you get postings in metro cities, have an opportunity to work on a wider canvas, have great work-life balance, job security, job satisfaction, and more.
Moreover, this exam is a great opportunity for UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC Aspirants. Individuals preparing for the UPSC EPFO EO/AO & APFC exams should also consider attempting the LEO exam. The EO/AO and APFC syllabus overlaps with the LEO syllabus.
UPSC LEO Exam Centers
Here are the centers for the UPSC LEO Recruitment test (RT) exam:
UPSC LEO 2025 RT Exam Centers | ||||
Ahmedabad | Bhopal | Chennai | Delhi | Dispur (Guwahati) |
Jaipur | Jammu | Kochi | Kolkata | Lucknow |
Mumbai | Nagpur | Port Blair | Ranchi | Vishakhapatnam |
Important Note: The details of the UPSC LEO interview centers will be mentioned in the interview call letter.
How to Apply for the UPSC LEO Online
Follow the below-mentioned steps to apply for the UPSC LEO exam:
- Step 1: Visit the official website of the Union Public Service Commission.
- Step 2: Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) process by providing your basic details to create an account.
- Step 3: Log in with the UPSC LEO registration ID and password received after OTR completion.
- Step 4: Fill in the personal, educational, and professional details in the online registration form.
- Step 5: Submit a scanned copy of a recent photograph, signature, and any other specified certificates.
- Step 6: Thoroughly review your application, pay the required fees, and submit the application form.
- Step 7: After submitting the application form, you can download and take its printout for future reference.
- Eligibility
- Pattern
- Syllabus
- Sources
- Strategy
Conclusion
On this page, I have covered all the important information you need regarding the UPSC LEO 2025 exam, which includes notification, exam dates, vacancies, eligibility criteria, pattern, syllabus, cutoff, results, and more. I hope this information will help you get a complete picture of the UPSC Labour Enforcement Officer exam, and you can prepare with confidence.