The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UPSSSC) conducts the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) as a mandatory screening exam for Group B and Group C posts in Uttar Pradesh. Before appearing for any UPSSSC recruitment, candidates must qualify PET, which makes the UPSSSC PET syllabus and exam pattern 2026 the starting point of preparation. This article covers the subject-wise syllabus, marks distribution, negative marking rule, selection process, and a preparation strategy based on the official exam structure.
UPSSSC PET Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026 - Overview
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| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Conducting Body | Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UPSSSC) |
| Exam Name | UPSSSC PET (Preliminary Eligibility Test) 2026 |
| Purpose of Exam | Screening/eligibility test for recruitment to Group “B” and “C” posts |
| Mode of Examination | Offline |
| Total Stages | Single stage (PET) followed by post-specific Mains exam |
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Time Duration | 2 hours |
| Negative Marking | ¼ (0.25) mark deducted for each wrong answer |
| Official Website | upsssc.gov.in |
UPSSSC PET Selection Process 2026
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UPSSSC PET is not a standalone recruitment exam it is the first filter that decides eligibility for a range of Group B and C posts. The selection process typically works as follows:
- Stage 1 - PET (Preliminary Eligibility Test): Candidates must appear for and qualify the PET, which is a common eligibility test for multiple posts under UPSSSC.
- Stage 2 - Post-wise Mains/Recruitment Exam: Once a candidate has a valid PET score, they become eligible to apply for individual UPSSSC recruitment notifications (such as Lekhpal, Junior Assistant, Excise Constable, etc.). Each of these posts conducts its own Mains exam or further selection stage.
- Document Verification/Physical Tests (post-specific): Depending on the post applied for, candidates may also need to clear document verification, physical standard tests, or skill tests as prescribed in that post's own notification.
UPSSSC PET Exam Pattern 2026
PET Exam Pattern - Key Rules
- The exam consists of objective-type multiple-choice questions (MCQs) only.
- A total of 100 questions are asked, carrying 100 marks in all.
- The total duration of the exam is 2 hours.
- Each wrong answer results in a negative marking of ¼ (0.25) mark.
- The difficulty level of questions is based on the NCERT Secondary/Senior Secondary syllabus, as indicated in the source material.
Subject-Wise Marks Distribution
| S. No. | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian History | 5 | 5 |
| 2 | Indian National Movement | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | Geography | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | Indian Economy | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | Indian Constitution & Public Administration | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | General Science | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | Elementary Arithmetic | 5 | 5 |
| 8 | General Hindi | 5 | 5 |
| 9 | General English | 5 | 5 |
| 10 | Logic & Reasoning | 5 | 5 |
| 11 | Current Affairs | 10 | 10 |
| 12 | General Awareness | 10 | 10 |
| 13 | Analysis of Hindi Unread Passage (2 passages) | 10 | 10 |
| 14 | Graph Interpretation (2 graphs) | 10 | 10 |
| 15 | Table Interpretation & Analysis (2 tables) | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | |
UPSSSC PET Syllabus 2026
The UPSSSC PET syllabus is divided into 15 sections, covering general awareness, history, geography, economy, polity, science, language, reasoning, and data interpretation topics. Below is the detailed subject-wise topic list.
1. Indian History
- Indus Valley Civilization
- Vedic Civilization
- Buddhism
- Jainism
- Mauryan Empire
- Gupta Empire
- Harshavardhan
- Rajput Era
- Sultanate Era
- Mughal Empire
- Maratha Empire
- British Rule and the First War of Independence
- Social and economic impact of British rule
2. Indian National Movement
- Initial stage of the freedom movement
- Swadeshi and Civil Disobedience Movement - role of Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders
- Revolutionary movement and the rise of militant nationalism
- Legislative amendments and the British India Act, 1935
- Quit India Movement, Azad Hind Fauj, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
3. Geography
- Indian and World Geography - rivers and water resources
- Mountains and glaciers
- Deserts and dry areas
- Forests and mineral resources
- Political geography of India and the world
- Climate and time zones
- Demographics and migration
4. Indian Economy
(A) Indian Economy (1947 to 1991)
- Planning Commission and Five-Year Plans
- Development of mixed economy: private and public sectors
- Green Revolution
- White Revolution and Operation Flood
- Banking nationalization
(B) LPG Reforms of 1991
(C) Economic Reforms Post 2014
- Farm reforms
- Structural reforms
- Labour reforms
- Economic reforms
- GST
5. Indian Constitution & Public Administration
- Indian Constitution and its salient features
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- Fundamental rights and duties
- Parliamentary system
- Federal system, Union government and states, Union government and Union Territories
- Judicial framework
- District administration
- Local bodies and Panchayati Raj
6. General Science
- Basic Physics
- Basic Chemistry
- Basic Biology
7. Elementary Arithmetic
- Whole numbers, fractions, and decimals
- Percentage
- Simple arithmetic equations
- Squares and square roots
- Exponents and powers
- Average
8. General Hindi
- Sandhi
- Vilom Shabd (antonyms)
- Paryayvachi Shabd (synonyms)
- One-word substitution for phrases
- Gender (Ling)
- Homophones with different meanings
- Muhavare-Lokoktiyan (idioms and proverbs)
- Common errors
- Writers and their works (prose and poetry)
9. General English
- English Grammar
- Questions based on passages
10. Logic & Reasoning
- Order and ranking
- Blood relations
- Calendar and clock
- Cause and effect
- Coding-decoding
- Conclusive/deductive reasoning, etc.
11. Current Affairs
- National current affairs
- International current affairs
12. General Awareness
- India's neighbouring countries
- Countries, capitals, and currencies
- Indian states and Union Territories
- Indian Parliament
- Days of national and international importance
- World organizations and their headquarters
- Indian tourism destinations
- Indian art and culture
- Indian and international sports
- Indian research institutes
- Books and authors
- Awards and honours
- Climate change and environment
13. Analysis of Hindi Unread Passage
Two unread Hindi passages, with questions testing comprehension and analysis.
14. Graph Interpretation
Two graphs, with questions based on reading and interpreting graphical data.
15. Table Interpretation & Analysis
Two tables, with questions based on analyzing tabular data.
Also Read: AIIMS NORCET 11 Prelims Result 2026
How to Prepare for UPSSSC PET Exam 2026
- Start with the highest-weightage sections: Current Affairs, General Awareness, Passage Analysis, Graph Interpretation, and Table Interpretation together account for 50 of the 100 marks, so prioritize these while building your study plan.
- Build a subject-wise timetable: Since the syllabus spans 15 sections, allot fixed daily slots to history, geography, economy, polity, science, and language sections rather than studying randomly.
- Practice data interpretation daily: Graph and table interpretation questions test calculation speed as much as concept knowledge, so solve a mix of these every day.
- Revise NCERT books: Since questions are based on the NCERT Secondary/Senior Secondary level (per source material), NCERT textbooks for history, geography, economy, polity, and science are a reliable base.
- Attempt mock tests and previous year papers: Regular full-length mocks under timed conditions help with speed, accuracy, and time management across 100 questions in 2 hours.
- Be selective with attempts: Because of the ¼ negative marking, avoid guessing on questions you are unsure of.
