UPPSC PCS 2026 (Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services) — Complete Guide

Important Update (April 30, 2026): The UPPSC Exam Calendar 2026 was released on January 30, 2026, scheduling the PCS Prelims on December 6, 2026. However, the official recruitment notification (with vacancy details, application form, and dates) has NOT been released yet. Candidates should regularly check uppsc.up.nic.in for the official notification.

Disclaimer: Application dates mentioned below are tentative/expected based on previous year patterns. Only the Prelims date (Dec 6, 2026) is from the official UPPSC Exam Calendar.

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) conducts the Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination (PCS) — the most prestigious state civil services exam in Uttar Pradesh, recruiting officers for Class A and Class B gazetted posts including Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Block Development Officer (BDO), and 15+ other key administrative positions across the state.

With UP being India's most populous state, a UPPSC PCS officer holds immense administrative responsibility and social impact.

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UPPSC PCS 2026 — At a Glance

Parameter	Details
Conducting Body	Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC)
Exam Name	Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination 2026 (PCS)
Key Posts	SDM (SDO), DSP, BDO, Dy. Collector, Commercial Tax Officer
Total Vacancies	~250–500 (announced with official notification)
Selection Stages	Prelims → Mains → Interview
Official Website	uppsc.up.nic.in

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UPPSC PCS 2026 — Important Dates

Event	Date / Status
UPPSC Exam Calendar Released	January 30, 2026 ✅
Official Recruitment Notification	Expected May–June 2026 ⏳
Application Start	To be announced (after notification)
Application Last Date	To be announced
Admit Card (Prelims)	November 2026 (approx.)
UPPSC PCS Prelims Date	December 6, 2026 (Sunday) — per Exam Calendar
Prelims Result	February 2027
Mains Exam	May–June 2027
Interview	September–October 2027
Final Result	November 2027

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Posts Offered in UPPSC PCS

Post	Department	Pay Level
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM/SDO)	Revenue	Level 10 (₹56,100)
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)	Home (Police)	Level 10 (₹56,100)
Block Development Officer (BDO)	Rural Development	Level 10 (₹56,100)
Deputy Collector	Revenue	Level 10 (₹56,100)
Commercial Tax Officer	Commercial Tax	Level 10 (₹56,100)
District Horticulture Officer	Agriculture	Level 10 (₹56,100)
Finance & Accounts Officer	Finance	Level 8 (₹47,600)
District Cane Officer	Sugar Industry	Level 9 (₹53,100)
Child Development Officer	Women Welfare	Level 9 (₹53,100)
Employment Officer	Employment	Level 7 (₹44,900)

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UPPSC PCS 2026 — Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

• Minimum: Bachelor's Degree in any stream from a recognized University
• Some posts require a specific stream (e.g., Agriculture Officer requires B.Sc. Agriculture)
• Final year students may appear in Prelims provisionally

Age Limit (as on July 1, 2026)

Category	Min Age	Max Age
General (Male)	21	40
General (Female)	21	45 (+5)
OBC (Male — UP Domicile)	21	43 (+3)
OBC (Female — UP Domicile)	21	48
SC/ST (Male — UP Domicile)	21	45 (+5)
SC/ST (Female — UP Domicile)	21	50
PwBD (General)	21	55 (+15)
Ex-Servicemen	21	40 + service period

Important: Category-based relaxations apply only for UP domicile holders. Candidates from other states apply under General/UR category.

Domicile

• No mandatory domicile requirement — candidates from any state may apply
• Reserved category benefits (OBC/SC/ST) apply only to UP state domicile holders

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UPPSC PCS 2026 — Exam Pattern (All Stages)

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Screening — Qualifying)

Paper	Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration
Paper 1	General Studies	150 MCQs	200	2 Hours
Paper 2	CSAT	100 MCQs	200	2 Hours

• Negative Marking: 1/3 mark for each wrong answer
• CSAT (Paper 2) is qualifying only: Minimum 33% (66/200) required
• Merit for Mains call-up is based solely on Paper 1 (GS) marks

Prelims GS Paper 1 — Topic Breakdown:

Topic	Approx. Questions
History of India + UP History	30–35
Indian Geography + UP Geography	20–25
Indian Polity, Governance & Constitution	15–20
Indian Economy + UP Economy	15–20
General Science	10–15
Current Affairs (National + UP, last 1 year)	20–25
Environment & Ecology	8–10
Miscellaneous (Art, Culture, Awards, Sports)	8–10

Stage 2: Main Examination (Merit Deciding)

Paper	Subject	Marks	Duration	Nature
Paper 1	General Hindi	150	3 Hours	Qualifying (min 40%)
Paper 2	Essay	150	3 Hours	Merit
Paper 3	General Studies 1	200	3 Hours	Merit
Paper 4	General Studies 2	200	3 Hours	Merit
Paper 5	General Studies 3	200	3 Hours	Merit
Paper 6	General Studies 4	200	3 Hours	Merit
Paper 7	General Studies 5 (UP Specific)	200	3 Hours	Merit
Paper 8	General Studies 6 (UP Specific)	200	3 Hours	Merit
Total (Merit)		1,350

Note: Unlike UPSC, UPPSC PCS does not have an Optional Subject. GS 5 and GS 6 are entirely focused on Uttar Pradesh — its history, geography, economy, governance, and current affairs.

Stage 3: Interview (Personality Test)

Marks	100
Location	UPPSC Office, Allahabad (Prayagraj)

Final Merit = Mains (1,350) + Interview (100) = 1,450 Total

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UPPSC PCS 2026 — Detailed Syllabus

Prelims GS Paper 1 — Detailed Topics

History of India (with UP Focus):

• Ancient India: Indus Civilization, Maurya Empire, Gupta Age; ancient UP — Ayodhya, Mathura, Varanasi
• Medieval India: Delhi Sultanate, Mughal period; UP in Mughal administration
• Modern India: British rule, 1857 Revolt (UP centers — Meerut, Lucknow, Kanpur), UP's role in freedom movement
• Art & Culture of UP: Classical music (Varanasi, Lucknow gharanas), Kathak dance, UP handicrafts

Indian Geography + UP Geography:

• UP physical features: Terai belt, Gangetic plains, Vindhya hills
• Rivers of UP: Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghra, Saryu, Gomti, Tons, Betwa
• Agriculture in UP: Sugarcane (No.1 producer), wheat, rice, pulses
• Industries: Agra (leather), Varanasi (silk), Moradabad (brassware), Firozabad (glass), Kanpur (textile)
• Wildlife: Dudhwa National Park, Chandra Prabha, Sohagi Barwa

Indian Polity + UP Governance:

• Constitution, Parliament, President, PM
• UP Vidhan Sabha (403 seats) — largest in India
• UP Vidhan Parishad (100 seats) — Legislative Council
• Governor, Chief Minister, UP Council of Ministers
• Panchayati Raj in UP: Gram Panchayat, Kshetra Panchayat, Zila Panchayat

Indian Economy + UP Economy:

• GSDP of UP, share in India's GDP
• UP's economic challenges: power deficit, rural poverty
• Key schemes: One District One Product (ODOP), Kisan Samriddhi Yojana
• Industrial corridors: Bundelkhand IC, Purvanchal IC, Agra-Lucknow Expressway

General Science:

• Physics, Chemistry, Biology basics (Class 10 level)
• Health and diseases common to UP (Japanese Encephalitis, dengue)

Current Affairs (UP + National):

• UP government schemes launched in last 12 months
• National events, appointments, awards, international relations
• UP infrastructure: Jewar Airport, Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Purvanchal Expressway, Ganga Expressway

Mains GS Papers — Detailed Breakup

GS Paper 1 — Indian History, National Movement, Culture

• Indian culture from ancient to modern — arts, architecture, literature
• Modern Indian history from 1757 to 1947
• Post-independence India
• Social empowerment: women, scheduled castes, tribal communities
• Globalization: impact on Indian society

GS Paper 2 — Indian Polity, Governance, International Relations

• Indian Constitution — structure, features, recent amendments
• Functions of Parliament, Supreme Court, CAG, ECI
• E-governance, RTI, Transparency
• Welfare schemes — analysis and impact
• India's foreign policy — neighbours, major bilateral relations
• International institutions: UN, WTO, IMF, World Bank

GS Paper 3 — Economic Development, Environment, Science & Technology

• Indian economy — planning, inclusive growth
• Agriculture — food security, irrigation, land reforms
• Industry and infrastructure
• Science: space, defence, biotechnology, AI
• Environment: biodiversity, climate change, biodiversity
• Disaster management — floods in UP, drought management

GS Paper 4 — Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude

• Ethical dimensions of public administration
• Attitude, emotional intelligence, aptitude
• Probity in governance: accountability, conflicts of interest
• Ethical dilemmas — case studies (answers must show reasoning and resolution)

GS Paper 5 — General Studies (UP Specific I)

• History of UP from ancient to modern
• UP geography in depth — all districts, agro-climatic zones
• UP's administrative history and political developments post-1947
• Cultural aspects of UP: festivals, fair, folk art, cuisine

GS Paper 6 — General Studies (UP Specific II)

• UP economy in detail: sectoral analysis, budget, GDP components
• Rural development in UP: MGNREGS performance, village electrification
• Social sector in UP: education, health indicators
• Law and order in UP: anti-crime measures, UPCOCA, POSCO implementation
• UP government's flagship schemes: Mission Shakti, Smart City Mission (Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Kanpur), Start-UP Policy

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UPPSC PCS — Previous Year Cut-Offs

Prelims GS Paper 1 Cut-Off (Out of 200)

Year	General	OBC	SC	ST
PCS 2024	105–112	98–106	88–96	80–88
PCS 2023	102–109	95–103	86–93	78–86
PCS 2022	98–105	90–98	82–89	74–82
PCS 2021	103–110	95–103	84–92	76–84
PCS 2020	99–106	91–99	80–88	72–80

Mains Cut-Off (Out of 1,350 — before interview)

Year	General	OBC	SC	ST
PCS 2023	745–775	715–745	678–708	645–675
PCS 2022	735–765	706–736	668–698	635–665
PCS 2021	740–770	712–742	672–702	638–668

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UP PCS Officer Salary Structure

Post	Pay Level	Basic Pay	Gross In-Hand (Lucknow)
SDM / DSP / BDO	Level 10	₹56,100	₹95,000–₹1,10,000
Dy. Collector	Level 10	₹56,100	₹95,000–₹1,10,000
District Cane Officer	Level 9	₹53,100	₹88,000–₹1,02,000
Finance & Accounts Officer	Level 8	₹47,600	₹78,000–₹92,000

Additional benefits: Government accommodation (priority allotment), official vehicle (for SDM/DSP), UP government medical scheme, LTC, children education allowance, pension.

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How to Apply for UPPSC PCS 2026

1. OTR Registration (Mandatory): Visit uppsc.up.nic.in → Complete One Time Registration (OTR) with name, DOB, mobile, email
2. Login with OTR credentials → Go to "Examination" → PCS 2026
3. Fill Application Form: Personal details, education, post preferences
4. Pay Fee:
   • General / OBC: ₹125 | SC/ST (UP): ₹65 | PwD: ₹25 | Female (UP): ₹65
   • Payment via SBI bank challan, net banking, UPI, debit/credit card
5. Upload Documents: Photograph (JPEG, 20–40 KB), Signature (JPEG, 10–20 KB)
6. Submit & Print the application confirmation page

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Preparation Strategy for UPPSC PCS 2026

6-Month Preparation Plan

Month 1–2 — Foundation (Subject Building):

• UP Specific GK: Lucent UP GK + NCERT UP Textbooks (SCERT books from uppsc.up.nic.in downloads)
• UP Geography: Study all districts, rivers, industrial clusters with maps
• Indian History: NCERT Classes 8–12 (Modern India focus); Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India
• Indian Polity: M. Laxmikanth — Indian Polity (chapters on Parliament, Fundamental Rights, State Legislature)

Month 3–4 — Deep Dive + Answer Writing:

• UP Economy: Read UP Economic Survey + Annual Budget summary
• Ethics: Lexicon for Ethics (Chronicle); practice 2 case studies daily
• GS Paper 5 & 6 (UP Specific): Previous 5 years' Mains question papers — understand what UPPSC asks about UP
• Start Mains answer writing: 2 answers per day in descriptive format

Month 5–6 — Mock Tests + Current Affairs:

• 2 full Prelims mock tests per week; analyze mistakes after each test
• Current Affairs: Daily newspaper + UP current affairs compilation (Drishti UP / Vision PCS)
• Revise all UP-specific topics: schemes, geography, economy, governance
• Complete at least 3 full Mains answer writing practice sessions per week

Best Books for UPPSC PCS 2026

Subject	Recommended Book
UP GK	Lucent's UP General Knowledge
Indian Polity	M. Laxmikanth — Indian Polity
Modern History	Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India
Geography	NCERT 11–12 + UP Geography notes
Indian Economy	Ramesh Singh — Indian Economy
Current Affairs	Vision IAS Monthly + UP Current Affairs (Drishti PCS)
Ethics	Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude (Chronicle)
Previous Papers	UPPSC PCS Solved Papers — Arihant / Kiran Prakashan

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UPPSC PCS vs. UPSC CSE — Key Comparison

Parameter	UPPSC PCS	UPSC CSE
State/Central	State (UP)	Central
Prelims Paper 2	CSAT Qualifying	CSAT Qualifying
Mains Optional	No Optional Subject	One Optional (250×2=500)
UP Specific Papers	2 papers (GS5 & GS6)	None
Annual Vacancies	~200–600	~900–1,100
Final Posts	SDM, DSP, BDO (state level)	IAS, IPS, IFS (national level)
Competition	4–6 lakh applicants	10–14 lakh applicants

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Official Links

Resource	Link
UPPSC Official Website	uppsc.up.nic.in
OTR / Apply Online	OTR Registration
Notifications Board	Notifications
Syllabus PDF	UPPSC Syllabus
Previous Year Papers	Question Papers

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Last Updated: April 2026 | Source: Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), Government of UP