UPPSC

Overview

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) recruits into Uttar Pradesh's state civil services through the Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination — commonly called the UP PCS exam — for posts such as Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Assistant Regional Transport Officer. UPPSC also issues many separate, smaller recruitment advertisements for specific departmental posts alongside the PCS cycle. As of September 2026, the current PCS cycle (Advertisement No. A-1/E-1/2025, Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services (Mains) Exam-2025) was confirmed live on uppsc.up.nic.in — its interview schedule and a list of candidates provisionally qualified for interview were on the site, both visible up to 24 October 2026 — indicating this cycle was in its interview stage. uppsc.up.nic.in was reachable for these live-status pages, but the detailed exam-pattern, eligibility and fee figures below come from secondary reports of UPPSC's own rules rather than a scraped official scheme document, so treat them as indicative and confirm against the current notification before applying.

Who can apply

Applicants must be Indian citizens and hold a bachelor's degree from a recognised university (some posts require specific higher qualifications). Age is calculated from the date fixed in each year's notification: the minimum age is 21 years, and the general/EWS maximum is commonly 40 years, with age relaxation typically reported as 5 years for OBC and SC/ST candidates and up to 10 years for candidates with disabilities — the exact relaxation and cut-off is set in each notification, so confirm it there. Unlike the UPSC Civil Services Exam, UPPSC PCS does not enforce a fixed number of attempts; candidates may reapply each year as long as they remain within the age limit.

Exam pattern

The Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination runs through a Preliminary Examination (screening only), a Main Examination, and an Interview.

Preliminary Examination

Only Paper I marks count toward the Prelims cut-off; Paper II is qualifying. Reports describe a marking scheme of roughly +1.33 for a correct answer in Paper I and a 1/3-mark deduction for a wrong one, but confirm current marking rules in the notification. Prelims marks are not added to Mains or Interview marks — the Prelims is used only to shortlist candidates for Mains.

Main Examination

Candidates must clear a minimum qualifying mark in the General Hindi paper (set by the government/commission each cycle); its marks are not added to the merit. The General Studies and Essay papers (1,350 marks) decide who is called for interview, and their marks are carried forward into the final merit along with the Interview.

Interview

A Personality Test/Interview worth 100 marks follows the Main Examination. The final merit list is based on the combined Main Examination and Interview marks; selected candidates must also clear a medical examination before appointment.

Fees

Reported for the PCS 2026 application cycle: Rs 125 for General/OBC/EWS candidates, Rs 65 for SC/ST candidates, Rs 25 for candidates with disabilities, and Rs 40 for ex-servicemen, paid online during the application window. Confirm the exact fee and payment deadline in the current year's notification, since UPPSC revises fee amounts and category exemptions from cycle to cycle.

How to apply

Applications for UPPSC examinations are submitted online through the Commission's website, using a One-Time Registration (OTR) number that is common across UPPSC recruitments, followed by the examination-specific application, document upload and fee payment for each notified advertisement.

After selection

Candidates who clear the Interview stage and the subsequent medical examination are placed on a final merit list and allotted posts. UPPSC's site tracks the current stage — document verification, interview letters, or results — separately for each advertisement number.

Preparation tips

Because the Prelims is a screening stage only, and General Studies and Essay carry the bulk of the Mains marks, most preparation time is best spent on the Mains General Studies papers once the Prelims syllabus is comfortable. Since UPPSC runs the PCS exam alongside many separate departmental advertisements at the same time, always confirm which advertisement number you are tracking and check its own stage, dates and fee on the Commission's website.