The Uttar Pradesh Adhinasth Seva Chayan Ayog (UP Subordinate Services Selection Commission - UPSSSC), Lucknow, has released the notification for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) - 2026 (Advertisement No. 16-Exam/2026), published on 01.08.2026. PET is the mandatory first stage of UPSSSC's two-tier selection system - candidates must qualify PET to be eligible to apply for Main Examinations for various Group 'C' posts under the Commission's jurisdiction.
Candidates who hold a High School (10th) or equivalent qualification, and are aged between 18 and 40 years as on 01.07.2026, can apply online through the official website, upsssc.gov.in. Online registration and fee payment begin on 03.08.2026, with the last date for registration, fee payment, and application submission set for 01.09.2026. Fee reconciliation and application correction can be done until 08.09.2026. One Time Registration (OTR) on the UPSSSC website is mandatory before applying for PET-2026.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Notification Out
UPSSSC has released Advertisement No. 16-Exam/2026 dated 01.08.2026 for the Preliminary Eligibility Test - 2026. Candidates should read the full notification carefully before applying online.
- Notification PDF.: Download Here
- Apply Online: Apply Here
- Official Website: upsssc.gov.in
UPSSSC PET 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | UP Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) |
| Advertisement No. | 16-Exam/2026 |
| Exam Name | Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) - 2026 |
| Purpose | Qualifying test for Group 'C' Main Examinations under UPSSSC |
| Educational Qualification | High School (10th) or equivalent |
| Age Limit | 18–40 years (as on 01.07.2026) |
| Application Mode | Online (OTR mandatory) |
| Registration Start Date | 03.08.2026 |
| Registration Last Date | 01.09.2026 |
| Official Website | upsssc.gov.in |
UPSSSC PET 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Date of Publication of Advertisement | 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 and Application Correction | 08.09.2026 |
| Application Correction Window Opens | 10.08.2026 |
UPSSSC PET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who hold High School (10th) or an equivalent qualification are eligible to apply for PET-2026. All candidates who have obtained this qualification before the last date of application submission may apply.
Note: Different departments under UPSSSC's jurisdiction issue separate Main Examination advertisements for various Group 'C' posts, each with its own specific educational qualification requirements as per the relevant service rules. Only candidates who have appeared in PET and hold a valid, normalized PET score card can apply online for those Main Examinations.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Age Limit
Candidates applying for PET-2026 must have completed a minimum of 18 years of age and must not have exceeded 40 years of age as on 01 July 2026.
Age Relaxation
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / OBC and other reserved categories | As specified by the Government from time to time |
| Classified/skilled sportspersons (as per G.O. dated 28.11.1985) | 5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years, after deducting actual military service rendered from the candidate's age (net relaxation not exceeding 3 years) |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (Divyangjan) (as per latest G.O. dated 03.02.2008) | 15 years |
| UP State Government employees working in state services (as per G.O. dated 27.08.2013) | 5 years |
UPSSSC PET 2026 Application Fee
| Category | Application Fee | Online Processing Fee | Total Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unreserved (General) | Rs. 160.00 | Rs. 25.00 | Rs. 185.00 |
| Other Backward Class (OBC) | Rs. 160.00 | Rs. 25.00 | Rs. 185.00 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | Rs. 70.00 | Rs. 25.00 | Rs. 95.00 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | Rs. 70.00 | Rs. 25.00 | Rs. 95.00 |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (Divyangjan) | - | Rs. 25.00 | Rs. 25.00 |
Dependents of Freedom Fighters, Ex-Servicemen, outstanding sportspersons, and women candidates pay the fee applicable to their original category (Sl. No. 1 to 4 above). Fee can be paid online via Credit Card, Debit Card, Internet Banking, UPI, or SBI e-Challan - no other mode of payment is accepted.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Exam Pattern
PET-2026 will consist of 100 objective-type multiple-choice questions, carrying 100 marks, to be answered in a duration of 2 hours. There is negative marking of ¼ mark for each wrong answer. The difficulty level of academic subjects (Sl. No. 1 to 9 below) will correspond to the Secondary/Senior Secondary standard prescribed by NCERT.
| S. No. | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian History | 05 |
| 2 | Indian National Movement | 05 |
| 3 | Geography | 05 |
| 4 | Indian Economy | 05 |
| 5 | Indian Constitution & Public Administration | 05 |
| 6 | General Science | 05 |
| 7 | Elementary Arithmetic | 05 |
| 8 | General Hindi | 05 |
| 9 | General English | 05 |
| 10 | Logic & Reasoning | 05 |
| 11 | Current Affairs (Indian and Global) | 10 |
| 12 | General Awareness | 10 |
| 13 | Unseen Hindi Passage Comprehension & Analysis (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 |
UPSSSC PET 2026 Syllabus
The detailed topic-wise syllabus for UPSSSC PET-2026, as approved vide letter No. 277/47-Ka-3-2021-13/07/2020 dated 19.02.2021, covers the following:
- Indian History: Indus Valley Civilization; Vedic culture; Buddhism (Gautam Buddha - biography and teachings); Jainism (Mahavir - biography and teachings); Mauryan dynasty (Emperor Ashoka); Gupta dynasty (Samudragupta, Chandragupta II); Harshavardhana; Rajput period; Sultanate period; Mughal empire; Marathas; rise of British Raj and the First War of Independence; socio-economic impact of British Raj.
- Indian National Movement: Early years of the freedom movement; Swadeshi and Civil Disobedience movements - role of Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders; revolutionary movement and rise of extreme nationalism; legislative reforms and the Government of India Act, 1935; Quit India Movement, Azad Hind Fauj, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
- Geography: Physical geography of India and the world - rivers and river valleys, groundwater resources, mountains/hills/glaciers, deserts and arid regions, forests, mineral resources (especially in India); political geography of India and the world; climate and weather; time zones; demographic change and migration.
- Indian Economy: Indian economy (1947–1991) - Planning Commission and Five-Year Plans, development of the mixed economy (private and public sectors), the Green Revolution, White/Milk Revolution and Operation Flood, bank nationalization and reforms; economic reforms of 1991 and the economy thereafter; economic reforms post-2014 - agricultural reforms, infrastructural reforms, labour reforms, economic reforms, and GST.
- Indian Constitution & Public Administration: Main features of the Indian Constitution - Directive Principles of State Policy, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Parliamentary system, Federal system, Union and Union Territories, Centre-State relations, judicial structure (Supreme Court, High Courts); district administration; local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions.
- General Science: Elementary Physics; Elementary Chemistry; Elementary Biology.
- Elementary Arithmetic: Whole numbers, fractions and decimals; percentages; simple arithmetic equations; squares and square roots; exponents and powers; averages.
- General Hindi: Sandhi; antonyms; synonyms; one word for a phrase; gender; homophones; idioms and proverbs; common errors; authors and their works (prose and poetry).
- General English: English grammar; questions based on unseen passages.
- Logic & Reasoning: Bigger and smaller; order and ranking; relationships; odd one out; calendar and clock; cause and effect; coding-decoding (numbers and letters); deductive reasoning/statement analysis and conclusions.
- Current Affairs: Indian and global current affairs.
- General Awareness: India's neighbouring countries; countries, capitals, and currencies; states and Union Territories of India; Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, and Vidhan Parishad; national and international days; world organizations and their headquarters; Indian tourist places; art and culture of India; sports of India and the world; Indian research organizations; famous books and authors; awards and their winners; climate change and environment.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Score Validity & Normalization
The score obtained in PET-2026 will remain valid for 3 years from the date the Commission declares the result/uploads it on the official website, as per Government Order No. 316/47-Ka-3-2025 dated 28.04.2025. If a candidate holds more than one valid PET score at the time of applying for a Main Examination advertisement, they may apply using the highest valid normalized score, and shortlisting will be done accordingly.
If the number of applications received for PET-2026 is very large and it is not convenient to conduct the exam for all candidates in a single shift/day, the exam may be conducted across multiple shifts/days. In such cases, a score normalization process will be applied for comparative evaluation.
How to Apply for UPSSSC PET 2026
Interested and eligible candidates can apply online for UPSSSC PET 2026 by following these steps:
- Complete One Time Registration (OTR): OTR has been in effect on the UPSSSC website since 14.07.2026. Candidates must complete OTR registration on upsssc.gov.in before applying for PET-2026 (guidelines available on the official website).
- Authentication: Log in for the PET-2026 application using your OTR number or the mobile number registered against your OTR - click "Get OTP", enter the OTP and Verification Code, and log in. Details entered in OTR will auto-populate in the application form.
- Fill Remaining Application Details: Enter details such as Intermediate qualification (if any), marital status, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) status, UP state employee status, dependent of freedom fighter, ex-serviceman/military-deputed status, outstanding sportsperson status, disability category, and any additional age relaxation applicable.
- Declaration: Read the declaration carefully, select "Yes" if you agree, enter the Verification Code, and click "Submit" to generate your 11-digit Registration Slip - save this for future reference.
- Fee Payment: Click "Proceed for Payment" on the Registration Slip page and pay the prescribed fee via Credit Card/Debit Card/Internet Banking/UPI or SBI e-Challan.
- Download & Print: Once payment is confirmed, the application form becomes available for download/print. The application process is complete only after downloading/printing the form.
Only online applications through the official website are accepted - no offline applications will be entertained. Candidates can submit only one application under PET-2026.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Application Correction
After final submission, candidates can modify permissible details in their application (such as email, Intermediate qualification, marital status, EWS status, UP state employee status, freedom fighter dependent status, ex-serviceman status, outstanding sportsperson status, disability category, and additional age relaxation details) via the "Modify Submitted Application" option on the UPSSSC website homepage, using OTP verification. This correction window is open from 10.08.2026 to 08.09.2026. Name, Date of Birth, and Mobile Number entered via OTR cannot be changed once the PET-2026 registration number has been generated. No correction requests will be entertained after the correction deadline.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Important Instructions
- Reserved-category candidates must indicate their category correctly in the application; the Commission's decision on eligibility is final.
- The date of birth recorded on the High School or equivalent certificate will be the only valid proof of age; no other document will be accepted for this purpose.
- Candidates may be asked to submit self-attested copies of mark sheets/certificates/degrees to confirm age and educational qualification.
- Exam date, time, district, and centre details will be communicated via admit card with a roll number; no change in exam centre, date, or time will be permitted under any circumstances.
- Submitting incorrect information that cannot be verified through certificates may lead to debarment from the PET as well as all other Commission examinations and selections.
- Malpractice, indiscipline, misbehaviour, or other undesirable conduct at the exam venue will lead to cancellation of candidature and possible debarment from future examinations, under the UP Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
- The Commission does not correspond individually with candidates; all information is published on the official website, which candidates should check regularly.
- Married male candidates with more than one living wife, and women who have married such a man, are not eligible unless exempted by the Governor.
- For any difficulty in applying online, candidates may contact the Commission at 0522-2720814 or through the official website.
UPSSSC Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) - 2026 Important Links
- Apply Online: Click here
- Official Notification PDF: Click here
- Official Website: Click here
