The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC), Lucknow has officially published the comprehensive notification for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 (Advertisement No: 16-Exam/2026).
Under the two-tier recruitment system implemented by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, qualifying PET and holding a valid score card is mandatory to apply for any upcoming Group ‘C’ recruitment examination across state government departments, secretariats, boards, and corporations (e.g., Lekhpal, Junior Assistant, Village Development Officer, etc.).
What is the UPSSSC PET Examination?
- The Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) is an annual state-level screening examination conducted by UPSSSC.
- A valid PET score is compulsory for candidates seeking direct recruitment to Group ‘C’ posts carrying Pay Band-1 (₹5,200 to ₹20,200 with Grade Pay ₹1,900 and above) up to Pay Band-2 (₹9,300 to ₹34,800 with Grade Pay less than ₹4,600).
- Under the revised government mandate, marks obtained in UPSSSC PET 2026 remain valid and effective for 3 years from the date of result publication on the official portal.
- Mains Exam Shortlisting: When applying for specific Group ‘C’ Mains recruitment notices, candidates possessing more than one valid PET score card can use their highest valid normalized score to compete for shortlisting.
UPSSSC PET Job List
| Candidates qualifying the UPSSSC PET become eligible to apply for various Group C level posts in Uttar Pradesh government departments. Please find below, the List of popular UP PET posts that candidates can apply for after clearing the exam :LekhpalJunior AssistantVillage Development Officer (VDO)StenographerForest GuardAssistant Statistical OfficerAssistant Store KeeperAuditorGram Panchayat AdhikariX-Ray Technician |
UPSSSC PET 2026: Important Dates
| Notification Release Date | August 01, 2026 |
| Online Application & Registration Starts | August 03, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply Online & Pay Fee | September 01, 2026 (23:59 hrs) |
| Last Date for Fee Adjustment & Application Modification | September 08, 2026 |
| Application Fee | For General, OBC : ₹ 185/-For SC, ST : ₹ 95/- For PH : ₹ 25/ |
| Written Exam Date (Offline OMR) | 23, 24 and 25 October 2026 |
| Shift 1 Timing (Morning) | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Shift 2 Timing (Afternoon) | 03:00 PM to 05:00 PM |
| Score Card Validity | 3 Years from the date of declaration of result |
| Official Portal | upsssc.gov.in |
| Direct Link to Apply | https://upsssc.gov.in/ |
Eligibility Criteria (As on 01-07-2026)
A. Educational Qualification
- Minimum Requirement: Candidates must have passed High School (Class 10th / Matriculation) or an equivalent qualification recognized by the government on or before the application closing date.
B. Age Limit & Relaxations (Crucial Date: July 01, 2026)
- Age Bracket: Minimum 18 years and maximum 40 years (must not have crossed 40 years as on 01-07-2026).
- Permissible Upper Age Relaxations (UP Domicile Only):
- SC / ST / OBC Candidates: 5 years
- Skilled Sports Persons: 5 years
- Ex-Servicemen: 3 years relaxation after deduction of military service rendered from actual age
- Persons with Disabilities (PwBD): 15 years
- UP State Government Employees: 5 years
UPSSSC PET 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
The UPSSSC PET 2026 examination consists of a single objective-type paper:
| Feature / Section | Details |
| Total Questions | 100 Objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Maximum Marks | 100 Marks (1 mark for each correct answer) |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours (120 minutes) |
| Question Standard | NCERT Secondary / Senior Secondary Difficulty Level (for items 1–9) |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 Marks (1/4th mark) deducted for each incorrect answer |
| Normalization | Applied if the exam is conducted across multiple shifts/days |
UPSSSC PET Syllabus 2026 (100 Marks)
| Sl. No. | Subject / Topic Area | Weightage |
| 1 | Indian History: Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic Culture, Buddhism (Gautama Buddha), Jainism (Mahavira), Maurya Dynasty (Emperor Ashoka), Gupta Dynasty, Harshavardhana, Rajput Era, Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Marathas, Advent of British Rule & First War of Independence, Socio-Economic Impact of British Rule. | 05 Marks |
| 2 | Indian National Movement: Early years of the freedom movement, Swadeshi & Civil Disobedience Movement (Role of Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders), Revolutionary movement & rise of militant nationalism, British India Act 1935, Quit India Movement, Azad Hind Fauj, and Subhash Chandra Bose. | 05 Marks |
| 3 | Geography: Physical geography of India and the world (Rivers, groundwater, mountains, glaciers, deserts, forests, mineral resources), Political geography, climate, weather, time zones, and demographic changes/migration. | 05 Marks |
| 4 | Indian Economy: Economy from 1947 to 1991, Planning Commission & Five-Year Plans, Mixed Economy, Green Revolution, Operation Flood (Dairy), Bank Nationalization, 1991 Economic Reforms, Post-2014 Reforms (Agricultural, Infrastructure, Labor, Financial, and GST). | 05 Marks |
| 5 | Indian Constitution & Public Administration: Salient features, Directive Principles of State Policy, Fundamental Rights & Duties, Parliamentary System, Federal System & Center-State relations, Judicial Setup (Supreme Court, High Court), District Administration, and Panchayati Raj / Local Bodies. | 05 Marks |
| 6 | General Science: Basic Physics, Basic Chemistry, and Basic Biology. | 05 Marks |
| 7 | Elementary Arithmetic: Whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, simple arithmetic equations, squares & square roots, indices & powers, averages. | 05 Marks |
| 8 | General Hindi: Sandhi, Antonyms, Synonyms, One-word substitution, Gender, Homophones, Idioms & proverbs, Common errors, Famous authors and literary works (Prose & Poetry). | 05 Marks |
| 9 | General English: English grammar rules and reading comprehension passages. | 05 Marks |
| 10 | Logic & Reasoning: Order and ranking, Blood relations, Odd one out, Calendar & clocks, Cause and effect, Coding-decoding, Deductive reasoning/statement analysis and decision making. | 05 Marks |
| 11 | Current Affairs: Major national and international current events. | 10 Marks |
| 12 | General Awareness: Neighboring countries, Capitals & currencies, Indian States & UTs, Parliament (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Parishad), National & International Days, World organizations & headquarters, Indian tourist spots, Art & culture, Sports, Scientific research institutes, Books & authors, Awards, Climate change & environment. | 10 Marks |
| 13 | Unseen Hindi Passages: 2 Reading Comprehension Passages (5 questions per passage). | 10 Marks |
| 14 | Graph Interpretation & Analysis: 2 Graphs (5 questions per graph). | 10 Marks |
| 15 | Table Interpretation & Analysis: 2 Tables (5 questions per table). | 10 Marks |
| Total | 15 Core Modules | 100 Marks |
UP PET Exam Cut-Off 2026
- The UPSSSC PET 2026 cut-off is expected to be around 40–60 marks, varying by post and category.
- Cut-offs may be higher for highly competitive posts, while SC/ST candidates may see cut-offs around 5–10 marks lower.
- For a safer score, candidates should aim for 65+ marks.
Mandatory OTR & Online Application Guidelines
- One-Time Registration (OTR) is Compulsory: Candidates must complete their OTR registration on official website of upsssc, before submitting the PET application.
- Authentication Flow: Applicants authenticate their login through their OTR number or registered mobile number via OTP. Fundamental profile details are automatically pulled from OTR records.
- Lock on Key Details: If migrating using PET-2025 registration, the applicant’s name, date of birth, and mobile number remain unchangeable. For new OTR applicants, the registered mobile number is unchangeable.
- Correction Window: Candidates can modify permissible application fields from August 10 to September 08, 2026.
- Fee Reconciliation Step: If an application does not generate immediately post-payment, candidates must use the “Update Your Transaction ID by Double Verification Mode” link on the portal to reconcile and download their printout.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Does qualifying UPSSSC PET 2026 guarantee a direct government job?
No. UPSSSC PET is purely an eligibility/screening exam.
Q2. What is the validity duration of the UPSSSC PET 2026 score card?
The UPSSSC PET 2026 score card remains valid for 3 years from the official date of result declaration on the commission’s portal.
Q3. Can candidates from states other than Uttar Pradesh apply for UPSSSC PET 2026?
Yes, candidates from other states are eligible to apply under Unreserved category.
Q4. What is the minimum educational qualification required to appear in UPSSSC PET?
The minimum educational qualification is High School (Class 10th pass) or its equivalent from a recognized education board.
Q5. Is there negative marking in UPSSSC PET 2026?
Yes, there is a penalty of 0.25 marks (1/4th mark) for every wrong answer marked on the OMR sheet.