UPPSC PCS

UPPSC PCS — the Provincial Civil Services examination — is the Uttar Pradesh state civil services exam, conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC). Through it the state fills gazetted Group A and Group B posts such as Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Block Development Officer (BDO), Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) and Naib Tehsildar. It is a competitive exam decided by merit, in three stages: Preliminary, Main and Interview.

UPPSC PCS 2026 at a glance

Exam pattern in brief

The Preliminary exam has two objective papers — General Studies I (200 marks) for shortlisting and General Studies II / CSAT (200 marks), which is qualifying at 33%. The Main exam has eight descriptive papers for 1,500 marks, and the Interview carries 100 marks. The final merit is drawn from the Mains and Interview.

Eligibility in brief

A candidate must be a graduate, and aged 21 to 40 years (as on 1 July 2026), with the usual age relaxations for reserved categories.

To apply for UPPSC PCS you must meet the nationality, age and qualification conditions below, set out in the UPPSC notification.

Nationality

A candidate must be a citizen of India (with the categories of eligible migrants specified in the notification).

Educational qualification

A Bachelor's degree from a recognised university, in any discipline. Some posts within the exam (for example in technical or medical departments) require a specific degree — check the post-wise requirements in the notification. Candidates in the final year of the qualifying degree may apply, subject to producing proof of passing.

Age limit

The age limit is 21 to 40 years as on 1 July 2026. Age relaxation is allowed as per Uttar Pradesh rules — five years for SC / ST / OBC of UP and certain other categories, and further relaxation for PwD and departmental candidates.

Number of attempts

There is no fixed cap on the number of attempts other than the upper age limit — a candidate may appear until they reach the maximum age. Confirm all conditions against the official notification before applying.

Salary

Most PCS posts are at Pay Level 10 (7th CPC), with a basic pay of ₹56,100 plus Dearness, House Rent and Travel allowances.

Most UPPSC PCS posts are at Pay Level 10 of the 7th Pay Commission, with a basic pay of ₹56,100. On top of the basic pay, an officer draws Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Travel Allowance, and medical and pension benefits, so the in-hand salary is considerably higher.

Posts filled through UPPSC PCS

• Deputy Collector (SDM) — the premier post, in the revenue and general administration.
• Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) — in the state police.
• Block Development Officer (BDO), Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), Naib Tehsildar and other Group A and Group B posts across departments.

Job profile

A PCS officer carries administrative, revenue, law-and-order and development responsibilities in the district and the secretariat, and rises over a career to senior administrative positions in the state, with the possibility of promotion to the Indian Administrative Service.

UPPSC PCS Application Form

The UPPSC PCS 2026 application is submitted online at uppsc.up.nic.in. Registration is a three-part process — the One Time Registration (OTR), the application form and the fee payment.

Fee

An online processing charge is added at payment. The fee is paid by net banking, card or e-challan.

How to apply

1. Complete the One Time Registration (OTR) on the UPPSC portal.
2. Fill the UPPSC PCS application, choosing your services/post preferences.
3. Upload the photograph and signature in the prescribed format and pay the fee.
4. Submit and keep a printout of the completed application.

Read the official notification in full before applying, as the post preferences and category claims cannot always be changed later.

UPPSC PCS Vacancy

UPPSC PCS 2026 is being held for about 500 posts. The vacancies are spread across the state's administrative, police and development departments, and the exact post-wise, category-wise break-up is given in the official notification.

Main posts

• Deputy Collector
• Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
• Block Development Officer (BDO)
• Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO)
• Naib Tehsildar, and other Group A and Group B posts.

The number of vacancies can be revised by the Commission during the recruitment; the final allotment is by merit rank and post preference, subject to the reservation rules of Uttar Pradesh.

UPPSC PCS Selection Process

UPPSC PCS selects candidates through three successive stages. A candidate must clear each stage to move to the next, and the final appointment is made on merit and post preference.

Stage 1 — Preliminary examination

A screening test of two objective papers. Only General Studies I counts for shortlisting (CSAT is qualifying at 33%). Candidates are shortlisted for the Mains at a set multiple of the vacancies; the Prelims marks are not carried forward.

Stage 2 — Main examination

Eight descriptive papers for 1,500 marks. The Mains marks form the bulk of the final merit, and candidates are shortlisted for the Interview on the Mains result.

Stage 3 — Interview

A personality test of 100 marks. The final merit list is prepared from the Mains and Interview marks together (1,500 + 100), and posts are allotted by rank and the candidate's service preference, subject to reservation.