Is Provident Fund Act applicable to the educational institutions? If so since when?
Yes. The provisions of the E.P.F. and M.P. Act apply to, the educational institutions w.e.f. 1st March, 1982. The Management of D.A.V. College and some other institutions had challenged the notification on 1st March, 1982 about the applicability of the Act to the educational institutions but the Supreme Court dismissed the petitions in 1988.
Reference
D.A.V. College and another vs. Regional Provident Fund Commissioner and others, 1988(56) FLR, 513 (Supreme Court)