UPPSC Pre Recruitment 2026: 500 Posts, Apply Online Form

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has released the notification for the Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) General and Special Recruitment Examination 2026. This recruitment is held under Advertisement No. A-1/E-1/2026 dated 25 June 2026, and it currently covers about 500 posts. The Commission has clearly stated that this number may increase or decrease depending on the requisitions received from different departments.

The online application window opened on 25 June 2026. The original last date to apply was 27 July 2026, but UPPSC later extended it to 3 August 2026 through a separate notice. The correction window, which was originally till 3 August 2026, has also been extended to 10 August 2026. Candidates should keep these updated dates in mind rather than the ones printed on the first page of the notification.

Graduates in any discipline can apply online at uppsc.up.nic.in, provided they hold a valid One Time Registration (OTR) number. The selection has three stages, a Preliminary Examination, a Main Examination, and an Interview. Read the full details on eligibility, age limit, fee, exam pattern and selection process below before you apply.

UPPSC PCS Pre Recruitment Exam 2026 Overview

Important Dates

Note: UPPSC issued a separate Date Extension Notice after the main notification, moving the application deadline from July 27 to August 3, 2026, and the correction deadline from August 3 to August 10, 2026. Always apply using the extended dates, and check the official notice on uppsc.up.nic.in if you are unsure.

Vacancy Details

The notification states that the number of vacancies for this recruitment is presently about 500, and this figure may increase or decrease depending on the requisitions received from various UP Government departments. This exam is used to fill nearly 60 different posts across departments, such as Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Block Development Officer, Assistant Regional Transport Officer, Naib Tehsildar, Excise Inspector, District Commandant Home Guards, Treasury Officer, Cane Inspector, Child Development Project Officer, Food Safety Officer, and several other administrative posts. Only the posts for which requisitions have been received by the time of the Preliminary Examination result are included in this cycle.

Note: UPPSC does not release a fixed post-wise vacancy breakup at the notification stage for this exam. The exact number for each post and category is worked out later, closer to the Main Examination stage, once all department requisitions are finalised.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s Degree from any recognised university, up to the last date of application. Some posts under this exam need a specific qualification instead of a general degree. Candidates who are still appearing for their qualifying exam are not eligible and should not apply, since they are not eligible on the last date.

Age Limit

The age is counted as on 1 July 2026. For general posts, the candidate should not be born before 2 July 1986 and not after 1 July 2005. For PwBD candidates, the candidate should not be born before 2 July 1971. For the Principal, Government Intermediate College post, the candidate should not be born before 2 July 1986 and not after 1 July 1996.

Age Relaxation in Upper Age Limit

Note: Research scholars who completed the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme can also get an age relaxation of up to 3 years, based on the number of years completed in the programme. A candidate who is already eligible for one relaxation will not get a separate one under this rule.

Marital Status

A male candidate who has more than one wife living, and a female candidate who has married a man who already has a living wife, are not eligible, unless the Governor has given a specific exemption from this rule.

UPPSC PCS Pre 2026 Exam Application Fee

Note: Candidates belonging to Dependents of Freedom Fighters, Women, and Skilled Players pay the fee as per their original category, meaning Rs. 125, Rs. 65 or Rs. 25 depending on whether they also fall under UR/OBC/EWS, SC/ST, or PwBD. Candidates shortlisted for the Main Examination will need to pay a separate exam fee at that stage, as per a fresh application to be filled at that time.

Exam Pattern

Preliminary Examination

The Preliminary Examination has two compulsory papers, both objective and multiple choice, answered on OMR sheets. Paper I is General Studies I, and Paper II is General Studies II, also known as CSAT.

Paper I is held from 9.30 AM to 11.30 AM, and Paper II is held from 2.30 PM to 4.30 PM on the same day. It is compulsory to appear in both papers. A candidate who skips either paper will be disqualified. The merit for shortlisting to the Main Examination is based only on the marks scored in Paper I.

For objective questions, one third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong answer. Giving more than one answer to a question is also treated as a wrong answer. No marks are deducted for a question left blank. Candidates from SC and ST categories need a minimum of 35 percent marks, and candidates from other categories need a minimum of 40 percent marks, to be placed in the merit or select list.

Main Examination

The Main Examination is descriptive and written by hand. As per the current pattern, it has 8 compulsory papers, and there is no optional subject in this cycle. Each paper is of 3 hours duration.

Note: The minimum qualifying marks for the General Hindi paper is fixed by the Government or the Commission, and this paper’s marks are not added to the merit list. Candidates from SC and ST categories need a minimum of 35 percent marks, and other categories need a minimum of 40 percent marks, in the Main Examination too, to stay in the merit list.

Interview (Personality Test)

The Interview, also called the Viva-Voce or Personality Test, carries 100 marks. It checks the candidate’s general awareness, intelligence, character, expression, and overall suitability for the service. Adding the Main Examination’s 1350 merit marks and the Interview’s 100 marks gives a final merit total of 1450 marks.

Selection Process

The selection for UPPSC PCS 2026 has three stages, and each stage decides who moves ahead to the next one.

• Preliminary Examination is objective and used only for shortlisting, and its marks are not carried forward to the final merit.
• Based on Paper I of the Preliminary Examination, 15 times the number of vacancies are shortlisted for the Main Examination, category-wise.
• Main Examination is descriptive, with 8 papers, out of which General Hindi is qualifying and the remaining 7 papers count for merit at 1350 marks.
• Based on the Main Examination result, 3 times the number of vacancies are called for the Interview.
• Interview carries 100 marks, and the final merit list is prepared by adding the Main Examination marks and the Interview marks, totalling 1450 marks.
• Selected candidates also need to clear a Medical Examination as required under the service rules before final appointment.

Salary and Pay Scale

The posts covered under this exam carry pay scales under the 6th Pay Commission, ranging from Rs. 9300 to 34800 with Grade Pay Rs. 4600, up to Rs. 15600 to 39100 with Grade Pay Rs. 5400. The post of Naib Tehsildar carries a Grade Pay of Rs. 4200. The exact pay band depends on the specific post a candidate is finally selected for.

How to Apply for UPPSC PCS Pre Exam Form Online 2026

It is compulsory to have a One Time Registration (OTR) number before applying. Follow the steps below carefully.

1. If you do not already have an OTR number, register at otr.pariksha.nic.in at least 72 hours before you plan to submit your application.
2. Visit the official website uppsc.up.nic.in and open the Candidate Dashboard Login.
3. Enter your OTR number and authenticate using the OTP sent to your mobile or email, or your OTR password.
4. Your personal details saved in OTR will appear automatically, and you only need to fill in the essential qualification for this post.
5. Review your details carefully and proceed to the fee payment stage.
6. Pay the fee as per your category, using Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or other available modes.
7. After payment, download and print the Payment Transaction Slip and keep it safe.
8. Download and print your final application form once submission is complete.

Documents Required

Keep the following ready. Original documents are needed only when the Commission asks for them, usually after the Preliminary Examination, not at the application stage.

• OTR number and OTR login credentials.
• Bachelor’s Degree certificate and marksheets.
• Category certificate for SC, ST, OBC or EWS, if claiming reservation.
• Certificate for Dependent of Freedom Fighter, Ex-Servicemen, PwBD or Outstanding Sportsperson, if claiming that benefit.
• A valid photo ID and passport size photograph in the prescribed format.
• A valid, active mobile number and email ID for OTP-based authentication.

Important Instructions

• Do not send the hard copy of your application at the Preliminary Examination stage. It is needed only later, and only when the Commission specifically asks for it.
• The category, sub-category, domicile, gender, date of birth, EWS status and name entered till the last date of correction will be treated as final. No request for change is accepted after that.
• Furnishing wrong information that cannot be backed by documents can lead to debarment from this exam and all future UPPSC exams for up to 5 years.
• If any personal detail in your OTR profile changes, you must synchronise it on the dashboard before applying, or the change will not be reflected.
• The application will be rejected if the form is incomplete, the date of birth is missing or wrong, the candidate is overage or underage, or the declaration is unsigned.
• While filling the OMR sheet, use only a black ball point pen. The use of any other pen or pencil is strictly prohibited.
• Reservation benefits for SC, ST, OBC and EWS are given as per Uttar Pradesh Government rules, and PwBD reservation applies only to notified and identified posts.
• Keep checking uppsc.up.nic.in regularly for updates, since UPPSC does not send individual notices for every change.

Exam Centres

The Preliminary Examination is scheduled for 6 December 2026 (Sunday), as per the official UPPSC Exam Calendar 2026, and will be held at various centres across the districts of Uttar Pradesh. The Commission has stated that this schedule is provisional and may be revised if administrative or other special circumstances arise. The exact centre allotted to each candidate will be communicated through the e-Admission Certificate (admit card), made available on the official website closer to the exam date.

Important Links

FAQs

Latest Updates

UPPSC PCS Pre Recruitment 2026 is one of the most awaited state civil service exams in Uttar Pradesh, covering nearly 60 different administrative posts such as Deputy Collector, DSP and BDO. With the application deadline now extended to August 3, 2026, candidates who have not yet applied still have a window to complete their form. Since the vacancy count is provisional and the exam pattern includes a fresh UP-specific Mains structure with no optional subject, candidates should read the full official notification carefully and plan their preparation for General Studies V and VI early. Bookmark this page for updates on the Preliminary Exam date and admit card.