UPSSSC PET 2026: Notification, Application, Eligibility, Pattern, Syllabus and Complete Preparation Guide
Introduction
The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) is all set to conduct the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026, which is eagerly awaited by millions of youth. This exam serves as the gateway to Group 'B' and Group 'C' government jobs in Uttar Pradesh. Whether you are preparing for Lekhpal, VDO, Junior Assistant, Forest Guard, or any other position, passing PET is mandatory.
This year, UPSSSC has introduced several major changes. One-Time Registration (OTR) has been made mandatory, which started from 14 July 2026. Additionally, the validity of PET score has now been extended to 3 years, giving candidates the opportunity to use a single score for multiple recruitments.
In this article, we are providing every small and big detail about UPSSSC PET 2026 – notification date, application process, eligibility, exam pattern, complete syllabus, and best preparation tips. If you are preparing for this exam, this article is your complete guide.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Notification – When will it be released?
The official notification for UPSSSC PET 2026 is expected to be released in August 2026. According to media reports and commission sources, the notification may be issued in the first week of August. The application process will begin as soon as the notification is released.
Expected Dates
| Particulars | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Official Notification Release | August 2026 (First Week) |
| Online Application Start | August 2026 (With Notification) |
| Last Date of Application | To be announced in Notification |
| Probable Exam Date | October – November 2026 |
Advice: Keep a daily check on the official website upsssc.gov.in. Do not pay attention to any rumours and only take information from official sources.
OTR (One-Time Registration) – Mandatory and Free
UPSSSC has made OTR (One-Time Registration) mandatory for all recruitments this year. OTR started from 14 July 2026 and is completely free.
What is OTR?
OTR means you will not have to fill your personal and educational information repeatedly for every UPSSSC recruitment. Once registered, your name, father/mother's name, date of birth, category, address, educational qualification, photo and signature will be saved. Whenever you apply for a new recruitment, this information will be auto-fetched.
Important Rules for OTR
- Without OTR, you cannot apply for PET 2026 or any other UPSSSC recruitment.
- Registration is completely free – no fee of any kind.
- Active mobile number and email ID are mandatory – verification will be done through OTP.
- Photo size should be 50 KB to 100 KB (JPEG/JPG) and signature 30 KB to 50 KB (JPEG/JPG).
- Once the OTR number is generated, no changes can be made to the information – so fill it carefully.
- A candidate can have only one OTR number – multiple registrations may lead to cancellation of candidature.
PET 2026 – Eligibility Criteria
PET is a screening exam, so its eligibility criteria have been kept simple. Final eligibility will be announced in the official notification, but the expected eligibility is as follows:
Educational Qualification
- Must have passed Class 10th (High School) from a recognized board.
- Candidates with higher qualifications (Intermediate, Graduate, Post-Graduate) can also apply.
Age Limit
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Maximum Age: 40 years
- Age will be calculated as per 1 July 2021 (this may change as per notification).
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC/ST/OBC | As per government rules |
| Meritorious Sportsperson | 5 years |
| PwD (Persons with Disabilities) | 15 years |
| Ex-serviceman | 5 years |
Nationality
- The candidate must be a citizen of India.
- It is not mandatory to be a permanent resident of Uttar Pradesh, but the job will be in Uttar Pradesh only.
Number of Attempts
- There is no limit – you can apply as many times as you want as long as you are within the maximum age limit.
PET 2026 – Application Process
UPSSSC PET 2026 application will be completely online. Applications will be accepted only on the official website upsssc.gov.in.
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Complete OTR – First, go to upsssc.gov.in and complete your OTR (One-Time Registration). It is mandatory and free.
- Login – After OTR, click on the PET 2026 application link and login with your OTR number and password.
- Fill Application Form – Check the auto-filled information from OTR and fill any additional information (like exam centre preference).
- Upload Documents – Upload your photo and signature in the prescribed format.
- Pay Fee – Pay the application fee online (Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, SBI E-Challan).
- Submit Form – Check all the information and submit the form. Take a printout for future reference.
Application Fee
| Category | Application Fee | Online Processing Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR / OBC | ₹160 | ₹25 | ₹185 |
| SC / ST | ₹70 | ₹25 | ₹95 |
| PwD (Persons with Disabilities) | ₹0 (Free) | ₹25 | ₹25 |
Note: The fee may change. The amount mentioned in the official notification will be valid.
PET 2026 – Exam Pattern
PET is a screening exam, so it will have 100 multiple-choice (MCQ) questions carrying 100 marks. This exam will be conducted offline (pen-paper mode on OMR sheet).
Key Features of the Exam
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Each Correct Answer | +1 mark |
| Each Wrong Answer | -0.25 marks (Negative Marking) |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours (120 minutes) |
| Mode | Offline (OMR Sheet) |
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) |
| Language | Hindi and English (except language sections) |
| Score Validity | 3 years (from the date of result) |
Subject-wise Mark Distribution
PET has 15 subjects. Most subjects carry 5 marks each, while Current Affairs (10 marks), UP General Knowledge (10 marks), Unseen Passage (10 marks), Graph (10 marks) and Table (10 marks) – these five sections together carry 50% marks (50 marks).
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Indian History | 5 | 5 |
| Indian National Movement | 5 | 5 |
| Geography | 5 | 5 |
| Indian Economy | 5 | 5 |
| Indian Constitution and Public Administration | 5 | 5 |
| General Science | 5 | 5 |
| Elementary Arithmetic | 5 | 5 |
| General Hindi | 5 | 5 |
| General English | 5 | 5 |
| Logical Reasoning | 5 | 5 |
| Current Affairs | 10 | 10 |
| General Awareness (UP GK) | 10 | 10 |
| Hindi Unseen Passage | 10 | 10 |
| Graph Interpretation and Analysis | 10 | 10 |
| Table Interpretation and Analysis | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
PET 2026 – Complete Syllabus
The syllabus of PET is based on the Class 10th level. Below are the main topics of all 15 subjects:
1. Indian History – 5 Marks
- Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic Period, Mahajanapadas
- Maurya and Gupta Empires – Major rulers and achievements
- Delhi Sultanate – Slave Dynasty, Khilji, Tughlaq, Lodhi Dynasties
- Mughal Empire – Babur, Akbar, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb
- Bhakti and Sufi Movements – Major saints and their thoughts
- Revolt of 1857 – Causes, major centers and consequences
2. Indian National Movement – 5 Marks
- Establishment of Congress (1885) – Objectives and early activities
- Swadeshi and Boycott Movement
- Home Rule Movement (1916)
- Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)
- Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) – Salt Satyagraha
- Quit India Movement (1942)
- Role of Gandhi, Nehru, Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru
3. Geography – 5 Marks
- Physical features of India – Himalayas, Peninsular Plateau, Coastal Plains
- Rivers – Ganga, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri
- Climate – Monsoon, Seasons, Distribution of Rainfall
- Soil – Types and Distribution
- Forests – Types and Conservation
- States and Capitals, Major Cities
4. Indian Economy – 5 Marks
- GDP, National Income, Per Capita Income
- Government Budget – Revenue and Expenditure
- Inflation – Causes and Control Measures
- Agriculture – Crops, Irrigation, Agricultural Schemes
- Industry – Small, Medium, Large Industries
- Banking and Financial System
- Government Schemes – Central and UP
5. Indian Constitution and Public Administration – 5 Marks
- Preamble – Form and Importance
- Federal System – Centre-State Relations
- Fundamental Rights and Duties
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- President, Prime Minister, Parliament
- State Legislature, Chief Minister, Governor
- Panchayati Raj Institutions – Three-tier System
6. General Science – 5 Marks
- Physics: Force, Motion, Energy, Light, Sound, Electricity
- Chemistry: Elements, Compounds, Acids, Bases, Salts, Chemical Reactions
- Biology: Human Body – Organs and Functions, Nutrition, Diseases, Immune System, Environment
7. Elementary Arithmetic – 5 Marks
- Number System, LCM, HCF
- Fractions, Decimals, Percentage
- Profit-Loss, Discount
- Ratio and Proportion
- Simple and Compound Interest
- Time, Speed and Distance
- Time and Work
- Area, Volume, Perimeter
8. General Hindi – 5 Marks
- Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms
- Sentence Correction, Spelling Correction
- Idioms and Proverbs
- Sandhi, Samas, Alankar
- Questions based on Unseen Passage
9. General English – 5 Marks
- Vocabulary – Synonyms, Antonyms
- Grammar – Tenses, Articles, Prepositions
- Error Spotting, Sentence Correction
- Reading Comprehension
- Voice and Narration
10. Logical Reasoning – 5 Marks
- Number Series, Letter Series
- Analogy
- Coding-Decoding
- Blood Relations
- Direction Sense
- Venn Diagram
- Statement and Conclusion
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
11. Current Affairs – 10 Marks
- National and International events of the last 6-12 months
- Sports – Major tournaments and winners
- Awards and Honours (Bharat Ratna, Padma Shri, Oscar, Nobel)
- Appointments and Resignations – Important positions
- Government Schemes – Central and UP
- Defence, Science, Space related news
- Important events related to UP
12. General Awareness (UP GK) – 10 Marks
- History of UP – Nawabs of Awadh, 1857 Revolt (Meerut, Lucknow, Kanpur)
- Geography of UP – Ganga-Yamuna Doab, Vindhyachal, Major Rivers, Districts
- UP Politics – Governor, Chief Minister, 403 Assembly Seats
- UP Culture – Lucknow, Varanasi, Kumbh Mela, Festivals, Folk Art
- UP Schemes – Mukhyamantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, ODOP, Smart City, etc.
13. Hindi Unseen Passage – 10 Marks
- Two passages will be given
- Questions on vocabulary, essence, conclusion
- Answers based on information given in the passage
14. Graph Interpretation and Analysis – 10 Marks
- Bar Graph
- Line Graph
- Pie Chart
- Reading and analyzing data
- Questions on percentage, ratio, comparison
15. Table Interpretation and Analysis – 10 Marks
- Questions based on data given in table
- Interpretation and calculation of data
- Percentage, average, ratio
PET 2026 – Best Preparation Tips
Below are some special tips for the preparation of UPSSSC PET 2026:
1. Focus on Double-Weightage Sections
Current Affairs, UP GK, Unseen Passage, Graph and Table – these five sections together carry 50 marks. Strengthening these is the key to your success. The remaining 10 subjects together carry 50 marks.
2. Read NCERT Books
Science, History, Geography, Economy – all these subjects are at Class 10th level. Reading NCERT books is the best and simplest method. NCERT is also helpful for Constitution and Polity.
3. Be Careful About Negative Marking
0.25 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer. Therefore, avoid guessing any question unless you are fully confident.
4. Don't Forget to Take Mock Tests
Taking regular mock tests helps you:
- Understand the exam pattern better
- Learn time management
- Identify your weaknesses
5. Special Focus on UP
The UP GK section carries 10 marks, so give special focus to UP's history, geography, politics, culture, schemes, and current affairs.
6. Current Affairs – Last 6-12 Months
For Current Affairs, events of the last 6-12 months are important. National, International, Sports, Awards, Appointments, Resignations, UP-related news – pay attention to all these.
7. Manage Your Time
In the exam, you have 120 minutes for 100 questions. Do not spend more than 1.2 minutes on average per question. Solve easy questions first and leave difficult questions for later.
8. Look at Previous Year Papers
Look at PET 2025's previous paper so that you can understand the level of questions, pattern, and important topics.
PET 2025 Statistics – How Many Candidates?
A large number of candidates participated in PET 2025:
- Registered: Over 25 lakh
- Appeared in Exam: Over 19 lakh
This time, due to the OTR system and 3-year score validity, even more candidates may apply.
Why is PET Score Important? – 3 Years Validity
PET is a screening exam that does not give a job but opens the door to jobs. After passing PET, you can apply for the following recruitments:
- Lekhpal (Revenue Department)
- VDO (Village Development Officer)
- Junior Assistant
- Forest Guard
- Other Group 'B' and 'C' recruitments
3 years validity means that once you qualify PET, you can apply for many recruitments in the next 3 years without having to take PET again.
Conclusion
UPSSSC PET 2026 is the gateway to Group 'B' and 'C' government jobs in Uttar Pradesh. The notification is expected in August 2026. Complete OTR (started from 14 July) as soon as possible as it is mandatory. The 3-year validity of PET score will give you the opportunity to apply for multiple recruitments.
Next Steps:
- Complete OTR – upsssc.gov.in
- Wait for the notification (August 2026)
- Apply – along with the notification
- Start preparation – as per syllabus and pattern
Keep an eye on upsssc.gov.in for official updates. Do not pay attention to any rumours.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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