UPPSC PCS 2026: exam pattern, marks, negative marking, age limit

Every figure on this page is copied from an official document linked next to it, with the date we last checked it. Pattern, age limit and dates are from the PCS 2026 notification. Last verified: 16 October 2026.

At a glance

Selection stages: Preliminary Examination (objective, OMR) → Main (Written) Examination - conventional → Personality Test (Viva-Voce) → Physical measurement (uniformed posts only)
First stage: Questions / Marks / Time: 250 / 400 / 240 min
Negative marking: One-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Marking more than one answer counts as a wrong answer even if one of them is correct. A question left blank carries no penalty.

Weekly live mock: Sunday, 8 November 2026, 10:00–12:00 IST · 50 questions in 60 minutes, one paper for everyone · Sit it in the Android app →

Exam pattern

Preliminary Examination (objective, OMR)

Applies to: All posts in the advertisement

Paper I: General Studies-I

Section	Questions	Marks each	Marks	Time (min)
General Studies-I: current events of national and international importance; history of India and the Indian National Movement; Indian and world geography; Indian polity and governance; economic and social development; environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change; general science - with special reference to Uttar Pradesh	150	—	—	—
Total	150		200	120

Time allowed: 120 minutes. Negative marking: One-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Marking more than one answer counts as a wrong answer even if one of them is correct. A question left blank carries no penalty.

9:30 to 11:30 am. The advertisement gives 150 questions for 200 marks and does not print marks per question. Merit for the Main examination is decided on Paper I alone.
Candidates equal to fifteen times the vacancies are declared successful for the Main examination. The advertisement puts the vacancies at about 500 (tentative; may increase or decrease) and fixes no date for the Preliminary examination - it is intimated through the e-admission certificate.
Minimum efficiency standard: candidates scoring below 35% (SC and ST) or 40% (all others) in the Preliminary or Main examination are not placed in the merit or select list. Answers are marked on an OMR sheet with a black ballpoint pen only.
Preliminary examination fee: Rs 100 + Rs 25 online processing fee (Rs 125) for Unreserved, EWS and OBC; Rs 40 + Rs 25 (Rs 65) for SC, ST and ex-servicemen; Rs 25 processing fee only for persons with disabilities; dependants of freedom fighters, women and skilled players pay as per their original category.

Paper II: General Studies-II (CSAT)

Section	Questions	Marks each	Marks	Time (min)
General Studies-II: comprehension; interpersonal and communication skills; logical reasoning and analytical ability; decision making and problem solving; general mental ability; elementary mathematics up to Class X (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics); general English and general Hindi up to Class X	100	—	—	—
Total	100		200	120

2:30 to 4:30 pm. A qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks of 33%; its marks do not count for merit. Appearing in both papers is compulsory - a candidate absent from either is disqualified.

Main (Written) Examination - conventional

Applies to: Candidates declared successful in the Preliminary examination (fifteen times the vacancies), who fill a second application with the Main examination fee

General Hindi

Time allowed: 180 minutes. Marks: 150.

All eight papers are conventional (written), three hours each, set in English and Hindi. Answers may be written in Hindi (Devanagari), English (Roman) or Urdu (Persian script), except in the language papers; the whole paper must be in one script. A candidate must obtain the minimum marks in General Hindi that the Government or the Commission determines.