UPPSC PCS 2026 Exam Pattern & Syllabus — Prelims and Mains
By Anand Meena
· Updated
·
Sign in to track this exam in your AglaSem profile.
UPPSC PCS is a three-stage examination — Preliminary, Main and Interview.
Preliminary examination (objective)
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I — General Studies I | 150 | 200 | 2 hours |
| Paper II — General Studies II (CSAT) | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
Both papers are objective (MCQ) with negative marking for wrong answers. Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying — a candidate must score at least 33% — and only Paper I is used to shortlist for the Mains. The Prelims score does not count towards the final merit.
Main examination (descriptive)
The Mains has eight compulsory papers for a total of 1,500 marks, each of three hours:
| Paper | Marks |
|---|---|
| General Hindi | 150 |
| Essay | 150 |
| General Studies I to VI | 200 each (1,200) |
| Total | 1,500 |
Interview
Candidates who qualify the Mains are called for a personality test / Interview of 100 marks. The final merit is prepared from the Mains and the Interview.
Syllabus
The detailed UPPSC PCS Prelims and Mains syllabus is available as a free PDF below.
UPPSC PCS: What to Check Next
Spotted wrong or outdated information? Tell us and we will fix it.
Official website: uppsc.up.nic.in
UPPSC publishes notices, admit cards and results here
Visit