UPSSSC PET 2026 Official Notification: Full Details, Fees, Syllabus & Application Process Explained

The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has released the official notification for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 under Advertisement No. 16-Pariksha/2026, dated August 1, 2026. This is the gateway exam that decides who gets shortlisted for the Commission's Group C recruitment drives across Uttar Pradesh over the next three years, so understanding every clause of this notification matters more than skimming a summary.

Here's a complete, section-by-section breakdown based on the official document.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Notification Publication Date	01-08-2026
Registration / Online Application / Fee Payment Start Date	03-08-2026
Last Date for Registration, Fee Payment & Application Submission	01-09-2026
Last Date for Fee Reconciliation & Application Correction	08-09-2026

One Time Registration (OTR) Is Mandatory

This is one of the most important procedural changes candidates need to understand. Following a Uttar Pradesh government order, UPSSSC introduced a One Time Registration (OTR) system, effective July 14, 2026. Once a candidate completes OTR, they no longer need to re-enter their basic details every time they apply for a future UPSSSC exam.

Key points on OTR:

• Candidates must complete OTR registration on upsssc.gov.in before applying for PET-2026. Offline applications will not be accepted under any circumstances.
• Before applying, candidates should carefully review the OTR guidelines published on the official website and ensure every detail in their OTR profile is accurate.
• If a candidate completed OTR using their PET-2025 registration number, their name, date of birth, and mobile number cannot be changed — but all other details in the OTR profile can still be edited.
• For candidates completing OTR for the first time now, the mobile number becomes unchangeable once set, though other fields remain editable.
• Once a PET-2026 registration number is generated, candidates can no longer modify their OTR details or their PET application — no offline or online representation for correction will be entertained after that point.
• The Commission has also noted that Aadhaar-based authentication may be used for verifying candidates at various future stages of selection.

Bottom line: lock down your OTR details correctly before you begin the PET application — there's no going back once your PET registration number is issued.

Why PET Is Mandatory

Under a UP government order effective since November 20, 2020 (and subsequently amended in April 2025), all Group C recruitment under UPSSSC now follows a two-tier selection process. This means participation in PET is compulsory for any candidate who wants to be considered for recruitment to Group C posts falling under the Commission's jurisdiction.

A few clarifications worth noting from the notification:

• PET will now be conducted annually, and marks obtained will remain valid for the next three years.
• If a candidate holds valid normalized scores from more than one PET conducted within that validity window, they can choose to apply for a specific recruitment using whichever valid score benefits them, and shortlisting will be done based on the highest valid normalized score they hold.
• Simply applying for, appearing in, or receiving a scorecard for PET-2026 does not by itself entitle a candidate to be considered for any specific post. PET is only a qualifying/shortlisting stage for subsequent mains exams.

Which Posts Fall Under This Exam

As per the UPSSSC Act, 2014, the Commission's jurisdiction covers all Group C direct recruitment posts (and certain Group B posts specified by the state government) across various departments — including Secretariat posts and posts under boards, corporations, or other statutory bodies established or controlled by the state government, unless specifically excluded by government notification.

In practical terms, this covers all direct recruitment posts in Pay Band-1 (₹5200–20200) with Grade Pay ₹1900 and above, up to (but excluding) Pay Band-2 (₹9300–34800) with Grade Pay ₹4600. When departments send their staffing requisitions to UPSSSC, the mains exam notifications for those specific posts will require a valid PET score for eligibility.

Eligibility Criteria

• Educational Qualification: High School (Class 10th) or an equivalent qualification.
• Age Limit (as on 01-07-2026): Minimum 18 years, Maximum 40 years.

Age Relaxation

• SC / ST / OBC and other specified reserved categories: relaxation as prescribed by government orders issued from time to time.
• Recognized sportspersons (as per the 1985 government order): 5 years relaxation.
• Ex-servicemen: 3 years relaxation, calculated by deducting their actual military service period from their age as of 01-07-2026 (with the condition that the resulting age doesn't exceed the upper limit by more than 3 years).
• Persons with disabilities (Divyangjan): 15 years relaxation, as per the February 2008 government order.
• UP State government employees working in state-administered services: 5 years relaxation, as per the 2013 government order.

Candidates claiming age relaxation on any other statutory or court-order basis must clearly mention the relevant order/rule and the exact relaxation being claimed in their online application.

Application Fee

Category	Application Fee	Processing Fee	Total
Unreserved (General)	₹160	₹25	₹185
OBC	₹160	₹25	₹185
SC	₹70	₹25	₹95
ST	₹70	₹25	₹95
PwD (Divyangjan)	—	₹25	₹25

Dependents of freedom fighters, ex-servicemen/serving military personnel, outstanding sportspersons, and women candidates pay fees according to their original base category (as listed above), not a separate concessional slab.

Payment can be made via Credit Card, Debit Card, Internet Banking, UPI, or SBI e-Challan. No other payment mode will be accepted.

Step-by-Step Online Application Process

The process has four stages: Authentication → Registration → Fee Payment → Print Out.

1. Authentication via OTR: Log in using your OTR number or your OTR-registered mobile number. Click "Get OTP," enter the OTP along with the verification code, and your application form will auto-populate with your OTR details.

2. Fill Remaining Details: Enter your Intermediate qualification (if applicable), marital status, EWS status, UP state employee status, freedom fighter dependent status, ex-serviceman status, outstanding sportsperson status, disability category, and any applicable age relaxation.

3. Declaration: Carefully read the declaration at the bottom of the form. If you agree, select "Yes," enter the verification code, and click Submit. This generates your Registration Slip containing an 11-digit registration number — save this carefully for future reference.

4. Fee Payment: On the Registration Slip page, click "Proceed for Payment" and complete payment through an approved mode. Do not click any button repeatedly or refresh/close the browser while payment is processing.

5. Download & Print: Once payment is confirmed, your completed application form becomes available for download and print. The application process is only complete once you've downloaded and printed this form.

If Payment Succeeds But the Form Doesn't Reflect It

This means your fee hasn't been reconciled yet. Go to "Applicant Segment" → "Update Your Transaction ID by Double Verification Mode" on the homepage, log in using your PET-2026 registration number, and click "Verify Transaction ID." Once reconciliation succeeds, your form becomes downloadable.

If Payment Fails

A Payment Acknowledgment Receipt (PAR) will display instead of the application form. Follow the same "Update Your Transaction ID by Double Verification Mode" path, verify your transaction ID, then go to "Application Fee Deposition" under Applicant Segment to retry payment.

Paying via SBI e-Challan

Download the e-Challan, pay at any SBI branch, then return to "Update Your Transaction ID by Double Verification Mode" to complete reconciliation using your challan details.

Important: Fee reconciliation and application download/print must be completed by the deadline — no request for exception will be considered after the last date.

Application Correction Window

Once submitted, candidates can modify certain permissible fields via "Modify Submitted Application" on the homepage (login required, verified via OTP). Editable fields include: email, Intermediate qualification, marital status, EWS status, UP state employee status, freedom fighter dependent status, ex-serviceman status, outstanding sportsperson status, disability category, and age relaxation details.

This correction window is open from August 10, 2026 to September 8, 2026. No corrections are possible after this date, and no offline/online representation for correction will be entertained.

Exam Pattern

• Duration: 2 hours
• Total Questions: 100 (Objective/MCQ type)
• Total Marks: 100 (1 mark per question)
• Negative Marking: ¼ mark deducted per wrong answer
• Difficulty Level: Based on NCERT Secondary/Senior Secondary standard

If the number of applicants is too large to accommodate in a single shift, the exam may be conducted across multiple shifts/days, in which case normalization will be applied to ensure fair comparison across shifts — a process the Commission has already notified candidates about previously, and its decision on this is final.

Detailed Syllabus Breakdown

#	Subject	Marks
1	Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic culture, Buddhism, Jainism, Maurya & Gupta dynasties, Harshavardhana, Rajput period, Sultanate period, Mughal Empire, Marathas, rise of British Raj & First War of Independence, socio-economic impact of British rule)	5
2	Indian National Movement (early years of the freedom struggle, Swadeshi & Civil Disobedience movements, revolutionary movements & rise of extreme nationalism, legislative reforms & Government of India Act 1935, Quit India Movement, INA & Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose)	5
3	Geography (physical geography of India & world — rivers & river valleys, groundwater resources, mountains & glaciers, deserts & arid zones, forests, mineral resources; political geography; climate & weather; time zones; demographic change & migration)	5
4	Indian Economy (Indian economy 1947–1991, Planning Commission & five-year plans, mixed economy development, Green Revolution, Operation Flood, bank nationalization & reforms, 1991 economic reforms and beyond, post-2014 reforms including agricultural, structural, labour reforms, and GST)	5
5	Indian Constitution & Public Administration (key features of the Constitution, Directive Principles, Fundamental Rights & Duties, Parliamentary system, federal system, Centre-State relations, judicial structure, district administration, local bodies & Panchayati Raj)	5
6	General Science (elementary physics, chemistry, biology)	5
7	Elementary Arithmetic (whole numbers, fractions & decimals, percentage, simple arithmetic equations, squares & square roots, exponents & powers, averages)	5
8	General Hindi (sandhi, antonyms, synonyms, one-word substitutions, gender, homophones with different meanings, idioms & proverbs, common errors, authors & their works — prose & poetry)	5
9	General English (grammar, unseen passage-based questions)	5
10	Logic & Reasoning (large/small comparisons, order & ranking, relationships, odd-one-out, calendar & clock, cause & effect, coding-decoding, deductive reasoning/statement analysis & conclusions)	5
11	Current Affairs (Indian & global)	10
12	General Awareness (neighboring countries, countries/capitals/currencies, Indian states & UTs, Parliament/Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha/Vidhan Sabha/Vidhan Parishad, national & international days, world organizations & headquarters, tourist destinations in India, Indian art & culture, sports in India & the world, Indian research organizations, notable books & authors, awards & winners, climate change & environment)	10
13	Unseen Hindi Passages (2 passages, 5 questions each)	10
14	Graph Interpretation & Analysis (2 graphs, 5 questions each)	10
15	Table Interpretation & Analysis (2 tables, 5 questions each)	10

Notice that subjects 11 through 15 together account for exactly half the paper (50 marks). Candidates who focus disproportionate effort on isolated GK facts while neglecting graph/table interpretation practice often leave easy marks on the table.

Score Validity

Your PET-2026 score remains valid for 3 years from the date the Commission declares the result / uploads it to the official website.

Reservation Policy

Reservation for mains-exam recruitment will follow current UP government rules — vertical reservation (SC, ST, OBC, EWS) and horizontal reservation (dependents of freedom fighters, ex-servicemen, persons with disabilities, outstanding sportspersons, and women).

Important Instructions Candidates Must Not Overlook

• All reserved-category candidates from UP must correctly mention their category in the application — this cannot be corrected later.
• The Commission's decision on eligibility is final and binding.
• Only the date of birth mentioned on your High School (or equivalent) certificate will be accepted — no other document will be considered valid proof of date of birth.
• Original mark sheets, certificates, and degrees (self-attested copies) must be produced if demanded.
• Exam city, date, time, and center will be communicated via admit card, along with your roll number. Center, date, and time cannot be changed under any circumstance, and no representation on this will be entertained.
• Providing false information, or being found ineligible at any stage despite provisional admission to the exam, will result in cancellation of candidature — even after appearing for the exam.
• Misconduct such as cheating, indiscipline, or misbehavior in the exam hall will lead to disqualification, and repeat offences can result in debarment from this and future UPSSSC exams/selections. Provisions under the UP Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 apply fully to this exam.
• Concealing material facts, being involved in pending criminal cases, having a conviction, having more than one living spouse, or misrepresenting facts for selection can lead to cancellation and debarment.
• The Commission does not correspond individually with candidates — all updates are published only on the official website, so candidates should check it regularly.
• The Commission does not offer personal advice on eligibility; candidates must read the notification carefully and apply only if fully satisfied that they meet all conditions.
• For technical difficulties during application, candidates can call 0522-2720814 or visit the Commission's office on any working day.
• Male candidates who are married and have more than one living spouse, or women who have married such a man, are not eligible — unless exempted by the Governor.
• Once the application is submitted, corrections are possible only until the correction deadline (September 8, 2026). No changes are possible after that, and no correspondence on this will be entertained.
• If a candidate submits multiple applications, only the last submitted application will be considered valid; all earlier ones will be rejected.
• Candidates selected under horizontal reservation will be adjusted against their respective original category.
• Any attempt to compromise exam integrity, including impersonation, is a punishable offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the UP Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 — which prescribes penalties up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 crore, besides debarment from current and future exams.

Practical Checklist Before You Apply

1. Complete or verify your OTR on upsssc.gov.in — check name, DOB, and mobile number carefully, since these may become locked.
2. Confirm you meet the age criteria as of July 1, 2026, and the educational qualification (10th pass or higher).
3. Keep your category certificate, EWS certificate (if applicable), and other relevant documents ready before starting the form, since details are not editable after final submission (only within the correction window).
4. Apply between August 3 and September 1, 2026 — don't wait till the last few days given expected server traffic.
5. Complete fee payment and immediately download/print your application form — don't leave this step for later.
6. Use the correction window (August 10 – September 8) to fix any editable errors, but note fields like OTR-locked name/DOB/mobile cannot be changed at this stage.
7. Build a study plan giving proportional weight to Current Affairs, General Awareness, Unseen Passages, Graph Interpretation, and Table Interpretation, since these five sections make up half the paper.

Final Word

This PET-2026 notification is dense with procedural detail, and a lot of past candidate complaints and rejections trace back to overlooked clauses — mismatched OTR details, missed correction deadlines, or incomplete fee reconciliation. Reading the full notification (not just summaries) and following each step of the application process carefully will save you from avoidable setbacks later in the selection process.

For the latest updates on exam date announcements and admit card release, keep checking the official UPSSSC website at upsssc.gov.in.

Click here to download official notification