UPPSC Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) 2026
Uttar Pradesh's senior administrative posts are filled through one exam: the Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (General/Special Recruitment) Examination. This page follows the 2026 cycle (Advertisement A-1/E-1/2026, about 500 posts) and the 2025 cycle now at the interview stage.
Where the PCS cycles stand
Advertisement A-1/E-1/2026 (25 June 2026) opened the Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (General/Special Recruitment) Examination 2026 for about 500 posts; the number may rise or fall. Online applications ran from 25 June to 27 July 2026, with corrections and fee reconciliation until 3 August 2026. Applying needs a One Time Registration (OTR) number from otr.pariksha.nic.in first. [1]
UPPSC's exam calendar for 2026 (notice of 30 January 2026) proposes the PCS Preliminary Examination 2026 for Sunday 6 December 2026. The 2025 cycle (Advertisement A-1/E-1/2025) held its Mains from 29 March 2026 over four days. [3]
Interviews for the 2025 cycle run in two daily sessions (9:30 am and 2 pm) from 28 September to 24 October 2026; interview letters are downloaded from the UPPSC home page with the OTR number. [4]
Some of the posts in the 2025 cycle, with the posts counted at the interview stage (UPPSC 'Details of posts' notice) [2]
| Post | Department | Pay level | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Collector | Appointment | Level-10 | 34 |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police | Home (Police) | Level-10 | 56 |
| Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Tax) | State Tax | Level-10 | 45 |
| Assistant Regional Transport Officer | Transport | Level-10 | 35 |
| Treasury Officer / Accounts Officer | Finance | Level-10 | 92 |
| Block Development Officer | Rural Development | Level-10 | 85 |
| Excise Inspector | Excise Commissioner's office | Level-7 | 123 |
| Food Safety Officer | Food Safety and Drug Administration | Level-7 | 72 |
| Naib Tehsildar | Board of Revenue | Level-6 | 105 |
Who can apply, and the age limits by category
- Qualification: a bachelor's degree from a recognised university by the last date of application. Some posts need a specific degree — for example Principal, Government Inter College needs a post-graduate degree plus B.Ed., and Account and Audit Officer needs a commerce degree with accountancy; the full list of specific-qualification posts is in the advertisement.
- Preference: two years in the Territorial Army or an NCC 'B' certificate gives preference when other things are equal.
- Marital status: a man with more than one living wife, or a woman married to a man who already has a wife, is not eligible unless the Governor grants an exemption.
- Age is counted on: 1 July 2026 — at least 21 and not over 40 (born between 2 July 1986 and 1 July 2005). [1]
Upper age limit and relaxations printed in Advertisement A-1/E-1/2026 [1]
| Candidate | Upper age limit |
|---|---|
| Unreserved, EWS and candidates from other states | 40 years |
| SC, ST and OBC of Uttar Pradesh | 45 years (+5) |
| Skilled players of classified games of UP | 45 years (+5) |
| UP State Government employees (including Basic Shiksha Parishad and aided Madhyamik teachers and staff) | 45 years (+5) |
| Persons with disabilities of UP | 55 years (+15) |
| Emergency / Short Service Commissioned Officers and ex-army personnel of UP | 40 + 3 years + period of army service |
| Principal, Government Inter College | minimum 30, maximum 40 |
There is no age relaxation for dependents of freedom fighters, for EWS candidates or for women. UPPSC's notice for the 2025 posts states this in so many words. These groups get horizontal reservation instead (see Reservation). [2]
Every age relaxation and reservation is only for permanent residents (domicile) of Uttar Pradesh. A candidate eligible for more than one relaxation gets only the single most useful one. Research Scholars of the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme get age relaxation and Mains weightage under the 2026 Rules (1 to 7.5 marks depending on years completed and the paper's maximum marks). [1]
Physical standards for Deputy Superintendent of Police (2025 posts notice) [2]
| Candidate | Height | Chest (normal / expanded) |
|---|---|---|
| Men — Unreserved, OBC, SC | 165 cm | 84 / 89 cm |
| Men — ST | 160 cm | 79 / 84 cm |
| Women — Unreserved, OBC, SC | 152 cm | not applicable |
| Women — ST | 147 cm | not applicable |
| Women — all categories | minimum weight 40 kg | — |
Excise Inspector also has physical standards: men 167 cm with chest 81.2 / 86.2 cm; women 152 cm (147 cm for SC/ST women). District Youth Welfare and Pradeshik Vikas Dal Officer has its own height and chest table in the same notice. [2]
Prelim, descriptive Mains and interview
Preliminary Examination (objective, OMR) [1]
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Counts for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I — General Studies I | 150 | 200 | 2 hours (9:30 – 11:30 am) | Merit for the Mains list |
| Paper II — General Studies II | 100 | 200 | 2 hours (2:30 – 4:30 pm) | Qualifying only: at least 33% |
- Both Prelim papers must be taken; missing either one disqualifies the candidate.
- Negative marking: one third (0.33) of a question's marks is deducted for each wrong answer; marking more than one answer counts as wrong; a blank question costs nothing.
- About fifteen times the number of vacancies are declared successful for the Mains, and about three times the vacancies are called for interview. [1]
Main (written) Examination — all papers conventional (essay-type), 3 hours each [1]
| Paper | Marks |
|---|---|
| General Hindi | 150 |
| Essay | 150 |
| General Studies I | 200 |
| General Studies II | 200 |
| General Studies III | 200 |
| General Studies IV | 200 |
| General Studies V (Uttar Pradesh) | 200 |
| General Studies VI (Uttar Pradesh) | 200 |
| Personality test (interview) | 100 |
A minimum mark in General Hindi is set by the government or the commission. Final selection is on Mains + interview marks (a few posts are filled on written marks alone under their service rules). Minimum efficiency standard: SC and ST candidates need at least 35%, others at least 40%, in the Prelim and the Mains to enter the merit list. [1]
Exam fee by category
Fee = exam fee + ₹25 online processing fee (Advertisement A-1/E-1/2026) [1]
| Candidate | Prelim | Mains |
|---|---|---|
| Unreserved, EWS, OBC (and candidates of other states at Mains) | ₹125 | ₹225 |
| SC / ST | ₹65 | ₹105 |
| Persons with disabilities | ₹25 | ₹25 |
| Ex-servicemen | ₹65 | ₹105 |
Dependents of freedom fighters, women and skilled / outstanding sportspersons of UP pay the fee of their original category. Payment is online through SBI MOPS (net banking, card or other modes), and the application is accepted only once the fee reaches the bank. [1]
OBC non-creamy layer, EWS, women and domicile
- Vertical reservation: SC, ST, OBC and EWS candidates of Uttar Pradesh, under the relevant government rules.
- Horizontal reservation: dependents of freedom fighters of UP, women, ex-servicemen of UP, persons with disabilities of UP (only on posts identified for them) and outstanding sportspersons of UP.
- Domicile: SC, ST, OBC, EWS, freedom-fighter-dependent, disabled, sportsperson and ex-serviceman candidates who are not permanent residents of UP get no reservation or age relaxation and are treated as unreserved.
- OBC and EWS details: category, sub-category, EWS and creamy-layer status, name and address as filled by the last date of application (or correction date) are final; no later change is accepted.
- EWS certificate: must follow Personnel Department Office Memorandum 1/2019/4/1/2002/Ka-2/19 T.C.-II of 18 February 2019 and be for the financial year before the year of application.
- Women's reservation: under the 2007 government order, horizontal reservation for women in direct recruitment goes only to women who are original residents of UP. The High Court struck this part down on 16 January 2019; the state's Special Appeal (D) 475/2019 is pending, and the reservation is subject to its outcome.
- Women's caste certificate: only a certificate issued on the father's side is valid.
- Certificates for reservation or age relaxation must be on the proformas in Appendix-1 of the advertisement and produced when the commission asks; a candidate claiming more than one gets only the most useful concession. [1]
Cut-offs are not fixed in advance; UPPSC publishes marks and cut-offs after each result.
What to keep ready
- High School (Class 10) certificate — the only accepted proof of date of birth; it must be attached to the Mains application.
- Self-attested mark sheets, certificates and degrees supporting the educational qualification, sent with the Mains application form.
- Caste, EWS, freedom-fighter-dependent, disability, ex-serviceman or sportsperson certificate on the Appendix-1 proforma, where claimed.
- Disability certificate from a Medical Officer / Specialist countersigned by the Chief Medical Officer (Rule 3 of the 2021 Amendment Act).
- Printout of the online application and fee transaction slip. [1]
Do not send hard copies at the Prelim stage. Wrong information can lead to cancellation and debarment for up to five years; the UP Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 applies. [1]
Pay levels of PCS posts
Pay printed against posts in the 2025 cycle (7th Pay Commission pay matrix) [2]
| Post (examples) | Pay level | Pay range |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Collector, DSP, BDO, ARTO, Asst. Commissioner (Commercial Tax), Treasury Officer | Level-10 | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 |
| District Minority Welfare Officer, District Backward Class Welfare Officer, District Food Marketing Officer | Level-8 | ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 |
| Excise Inspector, Food Safety Officer | Level-7 | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 |
| Naib Tehsildar | Level-6 | pay band ₹9,300 – ₹34,800, grade pay ₹4,200 |
In-hand salary is the basic pay of the level plus dearness allowance and other allowances, minus deductions; the notices give only the pay level, so no in-hand figure is shown here.
Where these officers work
PCS officers join state departments across Uttar Pradesh — revenue administration as Deputy Collectors, the police as DSPs, rural development as BDOs, the treasuries, commercial tax, transport, excise and many others. Before interview, candidates fill a post-preference sheet; posts are allotted on merit and preference. [2]
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page is taken from the official files below, read on 14 October 2026. Boards change rules, fees and dates every cycle — open the current notification before you apply.
- UPPSC — Advertisement A-1/E-1/2026, Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (General/Special Recruitment) Examination 2026 (25 Jun 2026); open it from the UPPSC website (opens in a new tab) posts, dates, qualification, age limits and relaxations, fee, reservation and domicile rules, EWS and women notes, exam scheme, negative marking, documents · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
- UPPSC — 'Details of posts' for Advt A-1/E-1/2025, Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services Exam 2025 (home-page notice, Hindi) (opens in a new tab) posts and numbers, pay levels, physical standards, age rule wording (no relaxation for freedom-fighter dependents and EWS) · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
- UPPSC — Exam Calendar 2026, notice 2920/14/Misc/E-1/2000-01 T.C. (30 Jan 2026, Hindi) (opens in a new tab) PCS 2025 Mains dates, PCS 2026 Prelim proposed date · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
- UPPSC — Interview schedule notice 260/01/E-3/2025-26 for PCS (Mains) Exam 2025 (18 Sep 2026, Hindi) (opens in a new tab) interview dates and sessions · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
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