Uttarakhand Public Service Commission

UKPSC Upper PCS is the Uttarakhand Combined State Civil/Upper Subordinate Services Examination, conducted by the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) to fill Group A and Group B posts such as Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Block Development Officer (BDO). The 2026 cycle was notified on 9 September 2026 under Advertisement No. A-1/E-1/2026-27 for 67 vacancies.

This guide shows where the 2026 cycle stands and what to know at each stage: dates, vacancies, eligibility, fee, pattern, syllabus, selection, salary and preparation. Some pages still carry the June 2026 short notice (63 posts, Prelims in October). The detailed advertisement has replaced it, so rely on the figures below and confirm them on the official UKPSC website.

Table of Contents

UKPSC Upper PCS 2026

UKPSC Upper PCS Notification 2026

UKPSC first issued a short notice on 29 June 2026, which mentioned 63 posts and a Prelims in the first fortnight of October. The detailed advertisement followed on 9 September 2026 and raised the count to 67 posts. It also moved the proposed Prelims date to November, as per the commission's exam calendar for 2026-27.

Do not confuse this with the earlier cycle. That cycle was notified in 2025 and its Mains was held from 27 to 30 April 2026. Its results and interviews run separately from this recruitment.

Important Dates

The application window has closed, and only the correction window remains open until 16 October 2026. Tentative dates come from the commission's schedule and can change. Track the official recruitment page on psc.uk.gov.in and your registered email.

UKPSC Upper PCS Vacancy 2026

The advertisement lists 67 vacancies. The largest numbers are in Police Deputy Superintendent (14), Deputy Collector (10) and Assistant Director/Audit Officer (8). Post names and counts below follow the advertisement as reported, so check the exact wording in the PDF.

Several posts also carry horizontal reservation for Uttarakhand women, and some for state agitators. These seats sit inside the category numbers above.

UKPSC Upper PCS Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Most posts need a bachelor's degree from a university established by law in India. These posts need something more specific:

Age Limit and Relaxation

The age limit is 21 to 42 years as on 1 July 2026. Relaxation and category benefits apply to Uttarakhand domicile holders, so keep your domicile and category certificates ready.

Other Conditions

• Physical standards: DSP and District Commandant posts have height, chest and medical standards listed in the advertisement.

• Nationality: Candidates must meet the nationality conditions in the notification.

• Attempts: No fixed attempt limit is reported. The upper age limit is the practical cap. See the full UKPSC Upper PCS eligibility guide for details.

Application Fee and How to Apply

A separate Mains fee is collected from those who qualify, as in earlier cycles. Applicants applied online through these steps:

1. Open the recruitment section of psc.uk.gov.in and find Advertisement A-1/E-1/2026-27.

2. Register and log in through the application link.

3. Fill in personal, educational and category details.

4. Upload the photograph and signature in the prescribed format.

5. Pay the fee online, submit the form and save a copy.

Forms are commonly rejected for unpaid fees, a reserved-category claim without Uttarakhand domicile, or an age outside the limit after relaxation. Use the correction window to fix errors.

Selection Process

1. Preliminary Examination: An objective screening test. Its marks do not count in the final merit.

2. Main Examination: Eight written papers carrying 1,500 marks.

3. Interview: A personality test of 150 marks.

4. Final merit: Prepared on Mains and Interview marks together, out of 1,650.

5. Document verification and medical examination: Held before appointment.

Each stage tests something different, so prepare for them differently:

UKPSC Upper PCS Exam Pattern

Prelims

One quarter of the marks is deducted for each wrong answer, with no penalty for unanswered questions. Calculators are not allowed.

Mains

What this means for you:

• Prelims is a gate: Aim to clear it comfortably, not to maximise a score that disappears afterwards.

• Do not ignore CSAT: A weak score in the qualifying paper can end your attempt even with a strong GS paper.

• Uttarakhand papers matter: GS V and VI carry 400 of 1,500 Mains marks, over a quarter of the written total.

• Guess with care: Each wrong GS answer costs 0.25 marks, so eliminate options before guessing.

UKPSC Upper PCS Syllabus Summary

The UKPSC PCS syllabus follows the UPSC pattern closely, with extra weight on Uttarakhand. The topics below summarise the stage-wise coverage, and the notification carries the full list.

UKPSC Upper PCS Salary

These are pay matrix ranges, not in-hand salary. Allowances and the posting location change what you actually receive. This is not an official in-hand figure.

Choosing a post: Most seats are in Level 10 posts, so your qualification and physical fitness decide your real options. DSP and District Commandant need the physical standards. Audit Officer, Sanskrit Education, Factories/Boiler, Plant Development and Case Worker posts need specific degrees. Graduates in any stream can target Deputy Collector, BDO, ARTO, Finance Officer and State Tax posts.

Admit Card, Answer Key and Result

UKPSC releases the admit card on its website before each stage, and you log in with your registration details. A provisional Prelims answer key is usually followed by an objection window and a final key. Results come stage by stage, and the final result uses Mains and Interview marks.

How to Prepare for UKPSC Upper PCS 2026

With the Prelims proposed for 29 November 2026, think in two phases and keep Mains in view throughout.

• Revise breadth for Prelims: Cover history, geography, polity, economy, environment and science from standard books, and add Uttarakhand facts to every subject.

• Practise CSAT every week: Reasoning and comprehension need regular timed sets, since the paper is qualifying.

• Keep current affairs monthly: Note national and Uttarakhand events and revise them at month end.

• Start answer writing early: Mains rewards structure and clarity, so write at least a few answers every week.

• Treat GS V and VI as scoring papers: Build short notes on Uttarakhand's history, economy, schemes and governance.

A simple split of your time from now:

1. Until Prelims: Finish one full revision of GS, take a timed GS mock and a CSAT set every week, and review each attempt for wrong answers and slow questions.

2. Last two weeks before Prelims: Attempt full-length papers on the exam timing, revise Uttarakhand facts and current affairs, and stop starting new books.

3. After Prelims: Move to Mains at once. Cover each GS paper, write answers daily and practise essays and Hindi.

4. Before the Interview: Revise your academic background, Uttarakhand issues and the work of the post you are targeting.

This month, finish any application corrections by 16 October, note the proposed Prelims date, and begin full-length practice for UKPSC Upper PCS 2026.

UKPSC Upper PCS Cut-Off Reference

UKPSC announces category-wise cut-off marks with its results. Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat last year's figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.