Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission

About the UPPSC PCS Exam

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), based in Prayagraj, recruits officers for the Uttar Pradesh government. Its flagship exam is the Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination, widely called UPPSC PCS or UP PCS. It fills Group A and Group B posts such as Deputy Collector (SDM), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Block Development Officer, Naib Tehsildar and Commercial Tax Officer.

The 2026 cycle was notified under Advertisement No. A-1/E-1/2026 on 25 June 2026, and the preliminary exam is scheduled for 6 December 2026. This page covers the dates, vacancies, eligibility, fee, exam pattern, syllabus, salary and previous cut-offs for the UPPSC PCS exam, with links to a detailed page on each topic.

UPPSC also conducts other recruitments, including the RO/ARO exam, Assistant Engineer, Staff Nurse, Assistant Professor, Lecturer and Assistant Teacher (LT Grade) exams, and the UP Judicial Services (PCS-J) exam. Each has its own notification and pattern. This guide focuses on the Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services exam, which is what most aspirants mean by "UPPSC".

UPPSC PCS 2026

UPPSC PCS 2026 Notification Overview

UPPSC released the PCS 2026 notification on 25 June 2026, and online applications opened the same day. The last date was later extended to 3 August 2026, with the correction window open until 10 August 2026. The application window for this cycle is now closed.

The notification lists about 500 posts across Group A and Group B services. UPPSC often revises vacancy numbers during a cycle. In the 2025 cycle, posts rose from about 200 at notification to 920 (814 PCS posts and 106 ACF/RFO posts) before the prelims result. Treat the 2026 figure as indicative until the final post details are published.

The exam follows the current pattern: two objective prelims papers and eight descriptive mains papers with no optional subject. Older pages may still show two optional papers in mains, so follow the official notification.

UPPSC PCS 2026 Important Dates

The prelims date comes from the UPPSC exam calendar for 2026. Tentative dates can change, so track the notices on uppsc.up.nic.in and your registered email and mobile number.

Where the 2025 Cycle Stands

If you are tracking the previous cycle, the PCS 2025 prelims was held on 12 October 2025, and 11,727 candidates qualified for mains. The mains exam began on 29 March 2026, and its result on 17 September 2026 shortlisted 2,297 candidates for interview. Interviews are running from 28 September to 24 October 2026.

UPPSC PCS Vacancy Details

The 2026 notification covers about 500 posts. Post-wise numbers were not part of the information we could verify, so they are not listed here. The posts named in the notification include:

• Administrative posts: Deputy Collector (SDM), Block Development Officer, Naib Tehsildar, Assistant Regional Transport Officer

• Police and security posts: Deputy Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Jail, District Commandant Home Guards, Deputy Jailor

• Finance and revenue posts: Commercial Tax Officer, District Audit Officer, Excise Inspector, Sub Registrar

• Specialised posts: District Basic Education Officer, Food Safety Officer, Statistical Officer, Senior Lecturer (DIET), Labour Enforcement Officer and others with their own degree requirements

Vacancy numbers are indicative and often change before the prelims result. Check the post details document on the official website for the final count.

UPPSC PCS Eligibility

Educational Qualification

Most posts need a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Some posts need specific degrees, such as an LLB for Sub Registrar or a master's degree with B.Ed. for Senior Lecturer (DIET). Check the qualification clause for every post you select in your preference list.

Age Limit

Candidates must be 21 to 40 years old as on 1 July 2026. In other words, general candidates should be born between 2 July 1986 and 1 July 2005.

Other Conditions

Any Indian citizen can apply. Reservation and age relaxation are available only to UP domicile candidates. There is no limit on attempts as long as you are within the age limit.

Application Fee and How to Apply

Candidates who qualify the prelims pay a separate mains fee. Applications are made online through the One Time Registration (OTR) system on the UPPSC website. The usual steps are:

1. Complete OTR: Register once with your personal and educational details. The notification asks you to finish OTR well before you apply.

2. Fill the application: Select the advertisement, check your details and choose your exam centre preferences.

3. Upload documents: Upload your photograph and signature in the specified format.

4. Pay the fee: Pay online and keep the transaction reference.

5. Print the form: Save a printout of the submitted application for later stages.

Common reasons for rejection include a mismatch between OTR and certificate details, a missing degree by the required date, and claiming a reservation without a valid UP certificate.

UPPSC PCS Exam Pattern

Preliminary Exam

Paper II is qualifying with a 33% minimum. Mains shortlisting is based on Paper I marks. A wrong answer costs one-third of the marks for that question.

Main Exam

The interview carries 100 marks, so final merit is out of 1,600.

What this means for you:

• Accuracy beats volume in prelims: Each GS question is worth about 1.33 marks, and a wrong guess costs about 0.44.

• Do not ignore CSAT: It does not add to merit, but missing 66 marks ends your attempt.

• UP knowledge is a scoring edge: GS V and VI carry 400 marks on Uttar Pradesh alone.

UPPSC PCS Syllabus Summary

Selection Process

1. Preliminary exam: Screening only. You need 33% in Paper II, and Paper I marks decide who is called for mains. Prelims marks do not count in final merit.

2. Main exam: Eight descriptive papers, 1,500 marks, all counted in merit. You must also meet the minimum marks the Commission prescribes for General Hindi.

3. Interview: A 100-mark personality test at the UPPSC office in Prayagraj.

4. Final merit and allocation: Mains plus interview marks (out of 1,600), with posts allocated by rank, category and your post preferences.

UPPSC PCS Salary and Career Growth

These are indicative figures from the 7th Pay Commission matrix used by the UP government. Dearness allowance, house rent allowance and other benefits are added on top, and in-hand pay varies by posting. An SDM can later rise to Additional District Magistrate and, through promotion to the IAS, to District Magistrate.

How to Prepare for UPPSC PCS

• Build one integrated base: Most GS I to IV topics serve both prelims and mains, so read for both from the start.

• Make UP a daily subject: Keep separate notes on UP history, geography, economy, budget and schemes for GS V and VI.

• Write answers early: Start writing one or two mains answers a day months before prelims.

• Read current affairs with a UP lens: Track state schemes and the UP budget alongside national news.

• Practise CSAT weekly: A short timed set each week keeps the 33% mark safe.

Mock Tests

From about three months before prelims, take full-length GS Paper I mocks under exam timing and analyse every wrong answer. analysis to plan your revision. Pair them with previous year papers to understand the real difficulty level.

UPPSC PCS Cut-off Reference

Always confirm dates and rules on the official UPPSC website.