UPSSSC PET

Overview

The Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) is a screening examination conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC). PET itself does not lead directly to a job; instead, a valid PET score is the entry requirement candidates need to apply for most of UPSSSC's subsequent Group B and C recruitment drives (posts such as Lekhpal, Junior Assistant, Forest Guard, Stenographer and Lab Technician) during the score's validity period, in place of each individual recruitment holding its own separate screening round. upsssc.gov.in was unreachable when this page was last checked, so the figures below are corroborated from a secondary report of the PET 2025 notification (released 2 May 2025, exam held 6–7 September 2025) rather than read directly from the Commission's site; confirm current figures against the latest notification.

Who can apply

Candidates must have passed at least Class 10 (High School) or an equivalent qualification from a recognised board — PET itself does not require a higher qualification, though the specific post applied for later may. For the 2025 cycle, the age limit was 18 to 40 years (as of 1 July 2025), with relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST/OBC candidates and meritorious sportspersons, and 15 years for candidates with disabilities. Age limits are set afresh in each notification, so confirm the current cut-off dates before applying.

Exam pattern

PET is a single, offline (OMR-based) objective test of 100 questions for 100 marks, to be completed in 2 hours. There is negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.

Score validity

A PET score is reported to remain valid for 3 years from the date of the result, during which it can be used to apply for multiple UPSSSC Group B/C recruitment drives that require a PET score, instead of sitting a fresh screening test for each one. Confirm the exact validity window in the notification for the cycle you appeared in.

Fees

For the PET 2025 cycle, the application fee was Rs 160 (UR/OBC) or Rs 70 (SC/ST), plus a Rs 25 online processing fee, for totals of Rs 185 (UR/OBC) and Rs 95 (SC/ST); candidates with disabilities paid only the Rs 25 processing fee. Payment could be made online by card, net banking, UPI, or an SBI e-challan.

Selection process

Candidates first clear PET to obtain a valid score, then apply separately to specific UPSSSC Group B/C recruitment advertisements using that score in place of a fresh screening test. Each subsequent recruitment carries its own further stages — typically a main written exam for the post, and in some cases an interview or skill test, followed by document verification.

How to apply

Registration and applications for PET, and for the individual recruitment drives that accept a PET score, are submitted online through the UPSSSC website, using the Commission's One-Time Registration (OTR) system.

Preparation tips

Because a PET score is used across multiple later recruitment drives rather than for one specific job, and because there is negative marking, focus on accuracy across the broad, shallow syllabus (history, geography, economy, constitution, science, arithmetic, reasoning, Hindi and English) rather than depth in any one subject. Once you have a valid score, track individual post advertisements separately, since each carries its own vacancy count, eligibility and, in some cases, an additional written exam.