UKPSC PCS Syllabus 2026: Prelims and Mains Guide

The UKPSC PCS syllabus covers two written stages of the Uttarakhand Combined State Civil/Upper Subordinate Services Examination, conducted by the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission. The Prelims tests General Studies and General Aptitude through objective papers, while the Mains has eight descriptive papers, two of them entirely on Uttarakhand. For the 2026 cycle, the Prelims is proposed for 29 November 2026, so most aspirants now need a clear, prioritised topic list rather than a long reading list.

This guide gives the UKPSC PCS syllabus 2026 paper by paper, shows where Uttarakhand-specific topics appear, explains how the CSAT paper is split, and ends with an overlap plan so you study common topics once for both stages. The syllabus has not changed from the previous cycle.

Table of Contents

UKPSC PCS Syllabus 2026 at a Glance

The written Mains totals 1,500 marks and the final merit is out of 1,650.

Key Points to Know Before You Start

• Uttarakhand is built into every stage: At least one-third of the 150 Prelims GS questions relate to Uttarakhand, and GS V and GS VI in Mains are fully state-focused.

• CSAT has a language unit: Paper II is not only reasoning and maths. Twenty questions test English and Hindi comprehension and grammar.

• General Hindi has a minimum mark: The notification generally requires at least 35% in this paper, and its marks count in the Mains total.

• The essay paper has a fixed state section: One of your three essays must come from Section C, which is entirely on Uttarakhand.

• Older pages can mislead: Some pages still list a 63-post short notice and an October prelims date. Follow the detailed 2026 advertisement on the official UKPSC website.

UKPSC Prelims Syllabus: Paper I General Studies

Paper I has six units. Each national topic usually has an Uttarakhand counterpart, so study them side by side.

History, polity and Uttarakhand-specific questions usually decide prelims scores, because they are both heavily represented and directly linked to Mains. Science is asked at the level of a well-educated person, not as a specialist subject, so revise concepts rather than formulas.

UKPSC Prelims Syllabus: Paper II General Aptitude Test

Paper II has 100 questions of 1.5 marks each and is split into two units. You must score at least 33% (50 marks), but the paper does not count towards the Mains merit list.

Unit 1: Aptitude, Reasoning and Numeracy (80 questions, 120 marks)

• Aptitude: Syllogism, true and false statements, analogies, similarities and differences, observation.

• Communication and interpersonal skills: Word building, coding-decoding, numerical operations.

• Logical and analytical ability: Statement-argument, statement-assumption, course of action, conclusions, theme detection, Venn diagrams, number series, figure classification, relationships.

• Decision-making and problem solving: Visual memory, discrimination, assertion and reason.

• General mental ability: Direction sense, social and emotional intelligence, critical thinking, puzzles, alphabet tests, data sufficiency, missing characters.

• Numerical identification: Number classification, divisibility, prime numbers, remainders, two-line series.

• Statistical analysis: Data presented through charts, graphs and tables, and data sufficiency.

Unit 2: English and Hindi Language (20 questions, 30 marks)

The language unit is worth 30 marks, more than half of the 50 marks you need. Candidates strong in reasoning often lose easy marks here by skipping Hindi grammar revision.

UKPSC Mains Syllabus: General Hindi and Essay

General Hindi (150 marks)

The paper is based on high school level Hindi. Translation, precis and letter writing together carry 60 marks, so they reward regular practice more than any other section.

Essay (150 marks)

You write three essays of 700 to 800 words, one from each section, each carrying 50 marks.

Essays are marked on language accuracy, original thinking, multi-dimensional understanding, logical flow and clarity of expression.

UKPSC Mains Syllabus: GS I to GS IV

These four papers broadly follow the UPSC Civil Services Mains pattern, so standard national-level preparation applies.

GS I: Indian Heritage, History, Geography and Society

• Culture: Art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times.

• History: Modern India from the mid-18th century, the freedom struggle, post-independence consolidation, and world history from the industrial revolution to decolonisation.

• Society: Diversity, role of women, population, poverty, urbanisation, globalisation, communalism, regionalism and secularism.

• Geography: World physical geography, distribution of resources, industrial location, earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones and changes in geographical features.

GS II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

• Constitution and polity: Evolution, basic structure, federalism, separation of powers, Parliament, executive, judiciary, constitutional and statutory bodies, Representation of the People Act.

• Governance and social justice: Government policies, NGOs and SHGs, welfare schemes for vulnerable sections, health, education, poverty and hunger, e-governance, citizen charters, role of civil services.

• International relations: India and its neighbours, regional and global groupings, diaspora, international institutions.

GS III: Technology, Economy, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

• Economy: Planning, inclusive growth, budgeting, cropping patterns, subsidies and MSP, PDS, food processing, land reforms, liberalisation, infrastructure, investment models.

• Science and technology: Everyday applications, Indian achievements, IT, space, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, intellectual property rights.

• Environment and disasters: Conservation, pollution, environmental impact assessment, disaster management.

• Internal security: Extremism, role of external actors, cyber security, money laundering, border management, security forces.

GS IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

• Ethics and human interface: Determinants of ethics, human values, lessons from leaders and reformers.

• Attitude and aptitude: Moral and political attitudes, foundational values for civil service, emotional intelligence.

• Public service values: Ethical dilemmas, accountability, probity in governance, RTI, codes of conduct, corruption.

• Case studies: Practical situations testing your approach to conflicts in public administration.

UKPSC Mains Syllabus: GS V and GS VI (Uttarakhand)

These two papers carry 400 marks together and are the clearest way UKPSC separates prepared candidates from general civil services aspirants.

GS V: History, Society and Polity of Uttarakhand

• History: Archaeological sites, ancient tribes, Kunindas, Katyuri, Parmar and Chand rule with their administration and economy, Gorkha invasion.

• British rule and Tehri State: Land revenue, forest management, education, vernacular journalism, freedom fighters, merger of Tehri State.

• Popular movements: Coolie Begar, Dola Palki, Chipko, anti-liquor movement, the separate state movement and its consequences.

• Society and culture: Family and kinship, caste, SC/ST/OBC communities, folk songs, dances, crafts, temples, fairs and festivals, dialects.

• Polity and administration: State government structure, district and tehsil administration, PSC, Lokayukta, vigilance, local bodies, State Finance and Election Commissions, good governance, current events of the state.

GS VI: Geography, Economy and Development of Uttarakhand

• Geography: Location, relief, climate, drainage, glaciers, lakes, soils, forests, minerals, hydro-electric projects, national parks and sanctuaries.

• Population and settlement: Growth, sex ratio, literacy, migration patterns and solutions, urbanisation, smart cities, HDI.

• Economy: State domestic product, per capita income, agriculture, horticulture, medicinal plants, tourism, MSME policy, infrastructure, state budget and taxes.

• Disaster management: Earthquakes, cloudbursts, forest fires, landslides, avalanches, role of NDRF and SDRF, Disaster Management Act 2005.

• Human resource development: Employment, rural development schemes, education system and RTE, health care and nutrition, welfare programmes.

Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

Is There a Syllabus for the Interview?

No. UKPSC does not publish a topic list for the 150-mark interview. The board assesses general awareness, communication, leadership, decision-making, personality and your understanding of Uttarakhand's issues. Your Mains preparation, especially GS V and GS VI, plus current affairs and your detailed application form, is the practical base for it.

How to Cover the UKPSC PCS Syllabus

With the prelims proposed for late November 2026, split your time into short phases.

1. Weeks 1 to 3: Revise Units 1 to 4 of Paper I with matching Uttarakhand topics each day. Spend at least an hour daily on state history, geography and current affairs.

2. Weeks 2 to 5: Add science, environment and current events. Attempt topic-wise tests to find weak units.

3. Weekly from now: Take one timed CSAT set, including the English and Hindi questions, so the 33% cut is never a risk.

4. Final weeks before prelims: Move to full-length mocks twice a week, analyse each one the same day and revise from an error log.

5. After prelims: Shift to answer writing for GS I to VI, one essay per section each week, and daily General Hindi practice.