Verified Notice Reference: Advertisement No. 16-Exam/2026 issued by Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC), Lucknow. Candidates should always check the latest UPSSSC notification/notice for any changes in the examination schedule, syllabus or other rules.
The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) conducts the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) as an eligibility/screening examination for various recruitment processes conducted by the Commission.
Candidates preparing for UPSSSC PET 2026 should understand the complete syllabus, exam pattern, subject-wise marks distribution and marking scheme before starting their preparation.
The UPSSSC PET 2026 examination consists of 100 objective-type questions carrying a total of 100 marks. Candidates get 2 hours (120 minutes) to complete the paper, and 0.25 mark is deducted for every incorrect answer.
The PET syllabus is divided into 15 major sections covering Indian History, Indian National Movement, Geography, Indian Economy, Indian Constitution and Public Administration, General Science, Elementary Arithmetic, General Hindi, General English, Logic & Reasoning, Current Affairs, General Awareness, Hindi Passage Analysis, Graph Interpretation and Table Interpretation.
Candidates should prepare all sections because the PET paper tests a broad range of general knowledge, language, reasoning, numerical and analytical skills.
UPSSSC PET Exam Pattern 2026
The UPSSSC PET 2026 examination is conducted in offline/OMR-based mode and contains objective multiple-choice questions.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | UPSSSC Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) |
| Advertisement No. | 16-Exam/2026 |
| Exam Mode | Offline / OMR Based |
| Question Type | Objective Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total Questions | 100 Questions |
| Total Marks | 100 Marks |
| Duration | 2 Hours / 120 Minutes |
| Marks per Question | 1 Mark |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 Mark for Each Wrong Answer (1/4th Penalty) |
| Number of Sections | 15 Sections |
UPSSSC PET Subject Wise Weightage 2026
The UPSSSC PET paper contains 100 questions for 100 marks. The syllabus is divided into 15 sections. Ten sections carry 5 marks each, while five sections carry 10 marks each.
| 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 | Unseen Hindi Passage Analysis | 10 | 10 |
| 14 | Graph Interpretation & Analysis | 10 | 10 |
| 15 | Table Interpretation & Analysis | 10 | 10 |
| TOTAL | 15 Comprehensive Sections | 100 | 100 |
UPSSSC PET Marks Distribution at a Glance
5-Mark Sections
10 SectionsThere are 10 sections carrying 5 marks each:
- Indian History
- Indian National Movement
- Geography
- Indian Economy
- Indian Constitution & Public Administration
- General Science
- Elementary Arithmetic
- General Hindi
- General English
- Logic & Reasoning
10-Mark Sections
5 High-Value AreasThere are 5 sections carrying 10 marks each:
- Current Affairs (10 Marks)
- General Awareness (10 Marks)
- Unseen Hindi Passage Analysis (10 Marks)
- Graph Interpretation & Analysis (10 Marks)
- Table Interpretation & Analysis (10 Marks)
UPSSSC PET Syllabus 2026
The UPSSSC PET syllabus contains 15 sections. The detailed topics below should be used as a comprehensive preparation checklist.
1. Indian History
The Indian History section covers important developments from ancient to modern Indian history.
Important Topics
- Indus Valley Civilization
- Vedic Civilization
- Buddhism
- Jainism
- Mauryan Empire
- Emperor Ashoka
- Gupta Empire
- Harshavardhana
- Rajput Period
- Delhi Sultanate
- Mughal Empire
- Maratha Empire
- British Rule in India
- Major historical developments
- Important rulers and dynasties
- Social and cultural developments
Candidates should particularly revise important civilizations, dynasties, rulers, religious movements and major historical events.
2. Indian National Movement
This section focuses on the development of India's freedom struggle and major movements against British rule.
Important Topics
- Beginning of the Indian freedom movement
- Early nationalist activities
- Rise of nationalism
- Formation and role of the Indian National Congress
- Moderate and extremist phases
- Swadeshi Movement
- Non-Cooperation Movement
- Civil Disobedience Movement
- Quit India Movement
- Revolutionary Movement
- Rise of revolutionary nationalism
- Indian National Army
- Subhas Chandra Bose
- Major freedom fighters
- Important events of the freedom struggle
- British policies and their impact
- Major developments leading to independence
3. Geography
Important Topics
- Physical geography
- Indian geography
- Major mountains
- Rivers
- Plains
- Plateaus
- Climate
- Monsoon
- Natural resources
- Soils
- Agriculture
- Minerals
- Industries
- Population
- Transportation
- Indian states and geographical features
- Natural vegetation
- Environmental geography
- Important geographical locations
4. Indian Economy
Important Topics
- Basic concepts of Indian economy
- Economic growth and development
- National income
- GDP
- Per capita income
- Poverty
- Unemployment
- Agriculture
- Industries
- Banking
- Financial institutions
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
- Inflation
- Budget
- Taxation
- Government economic policies
- Economic reforms
- Public finance
- Major government economic programmes
- Current economic developments
5. Indian Constitution & Public Administration
Indian Constitution Topics
- Historical background of the Constitution
- Salient features of the Constitution
- Preamble
- Fundamental Rights
- Fundamental Duties
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- Parliamentary system
- Federal system
- Union and State relations
- President & Vice-President
- Prime Minister & Council of Ministers
- Parliament (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha)
- Supreme Court & High Courts
- Constitutional bodies
- Constitutional amendments
Public Administration Topics
- District administration structure and function
- Panchayati Raj Institutions (73rd Amendment)
- Local government & Municipalities (74th Amendment)
- Basic administrative structure of Uttar Pradesh
- Role of public administration in governance
- Important administrative institutions
6. General Science
General Science questions cover basic concepts of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Prepare the relevant academic level prescribed in the PET syllabus.
Physics
- Motion
- Force
- Work
- Energy
- Power
- Gravitation
- Heat
- Sound
- Light
- Electricity
- Magnetism
- Basic scientific principles
- Sources of energy
Chemistry
- Matter
- Atoms and molecules
- Elements and compounds
- Chemical reactions
- Acids, bases and salts
- Metals and non-metals
- Periodic classification
- Carbon compounds
- Basic chemistry concepts
Biology
- Cell
- Tissues
- Nutrition
- Respiration
- Transportation
- Excretion
- Reproduction
- Heredity
- Diseases
- Environment
- Human body basics
- Plant and animal biology
7. Elementary Arithmetic
Important Topics
- Whole numbers
- Integers
- Fractions
- Decimals
- Percentage
- Basic arithmetic equations
- Average
- Square
- Square root
- Exponents
- Powers
- Basic numerical calculations
Candidates should build calculation speed because arithmetic also helps in solving Graph Interpretation and Table Interpretation questions.
8. General Hindi
Important Topics
- Sandhi (संधि एवं संधि विच्छेद)
- Antonyms (विलोम शब्द)
- Synonyms (पर्यायवाची शब्द)
- Idioms and Proverbs (मुहावरे एवं लोकोक्तियां)
- Common grammatical errors (सामान्य अशुद्धियां)
- Correct usage of words
- Vocabulary (शब्दावली)
- Authors and their works (लेखक एवं उनकी रचनाएं)
- Important literary works
- Basic Hindi grammar
Candidates should revise commonly asked Hindi grammar rules, vocabulary and important authors and works.
9. General English
Important Topics
- English Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Basic grammatical rules
- Sentence-related questions
- Reading comprehension
- Unseen passage
- Questions based on paragraphs
- Basic language usage
The section focuses on basic English language knowledge and comprehension.
10. Logic & Reasoning
Important Topics
- Order and Ranking
- Blood Relations
- Coding-Decoding
- Calendar
- Clock
- Cause and Effect
- Analytical Reasoning
- Logical Reasoning
- Conclusion-based reasoning
- Basic classification
- Relationship-based questions
- Arrangement-based questions
The Reasoning section tests logical thinking, analytical ability and basic problem-solving skills.
11. Current Affairs
Important Topics
- National current affairs
- International current affairs
- Government developments
- Important appointments
- Awards and honours
- Sports
- Major national events
- Major international events
- Important reports
- Science and technology developments
- Important government initiatives
- Important Uttar Pradesh-related current affairs
12. General Awareness
Important Topics
- India's neighbouring countries
- Countries, capitals and currencies
- Indian states and Union Territories
- Indian Parliament
- National days
- International days
- World organisations
- Headquarters of international organisations
- Important tourist places in India
- Indian art and culture
- Indian and international sports
- Research organisations
- Important books and authors
- Awards and honours
- Environmental issues
- Climate change
13. Unseen Hindi Passage Analysis
This section carries 10 marks. The examination includes:
Candidates will need to read the given Hindi passage and answer questions based on its content.
Preparation Focus
- Passage comprehension
- Main idea identification
- Meaning-based questions
- Inference-based questions
- Fact-based questions
- Vocabulary from context
- Conclusion-based questions
14. Graph Interpretation & Analysis
Graph Interpretation carries 10 marks. The syllabus includes:
Important Question Types
- Bar graphs
- Line graphs
- Comparison of data
- Percentage calculations
- Average
- Ratio
- Difference
- Increase/decrease
- Total values
- Data-based arithmetic
Candidates should practise reading graphs quickly and extracting the required information accurately.
15. Table Interpretation & Analysis
Table Interpretation carries 10 marks. The examination includes:
Important Question Types
- Comparison
- Total
- Difference
- Average
- Percentage
- Ratio
- Increase/decrease
- Data interpretation
- Arithmetic calculations based on tabulated information
Regular practice is important because this section combines data reading with basic arithmetic.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Negative Marking
UPSSSC PET has negative marking.
In other words, one-fourth mark is deducted for every wrong answer.
Candidates should avoid random guessing and focus on maintaining a good balance between speed and accuracy.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Exam Duration
The total duration of the PET examination is:
Candidates have to answer all 100 questions within the prescribed time.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Exam Date
The UPSSSC PET 2026 examination schedule has been revised.
Latest Reported Schedule:
25 October 2026
- • Shift 1: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- • Shift 2: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
30 October 2026
- • Shift 1: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- • Shift 2: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
1 November 2026
- • Shift 1: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- • Shift 2: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Candidates should check their admit card for the exact examination date, shift and examination centre allotted to them. Always verify from the official UPSSSC notice on upsssc.gov.in.
UPSSSC PET Score Validity
Three-Year Validity Period:
Under the updated PET framework, the PET score is valid for three years from the date the result is declared/uploaded by the Commission, subject to applicable rules.
A valid PET score does not automatically guarantee eligibility for every UPSSSC recruitment. Each individual recruitment notification may specify the applicable PET cycle, score requirements and other eligibility conditions.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Preparation Strategy
1. Do Not Ignore the 30 Marks of Data Interpretation
One of the biggest opportunities in PET is the combined:
- Hindi Passage Analysis – 10 marks
- Graph Interpretation – 10 marks
- Table Interpretation – 10 marks
Together, these sections account for 30 marks. Candidates should practise these regularly because improving calculation speed and comprehension can significantly help in this part of the paper.
2. Give Special Attention to Current Affairs & General Awareness
Current Affairs and General Awareness together carry 20 marks.
Focus on:
- National current affairs
- International events
- Government schemes
- Awards
- Sports
- Appointments
- Books and authors
- Important organisations
- Capitals and currencies
- Indian states and UTs
- Art and culture
- Environmental developments
3. Build a Strong Basic Arithmetic Foundation
Arithmetic carries 5 marks directly and also helps with:
- Graph interpretation
- Table interpretation
- Percentage calculations
- Average
- Ratio
- Data analysis
4. Revise Static Subjects Regularly
For History, Geography, Polity and Economy, make short revision notes. Focus on important facts and concepts that are frequently useful in competitive examinations.
5. Practice Reasoning With a Timer
Reasoning has 5 marks, but solving these questions quickly can save time for other sections.
Prioritize:
- Coding-Decoding
- Blood Relations
- Ranking
- Calendar
- Clock
- Cause & Effect
- Analytical Reasoning
UPSSSC PET 2026 High-Priority Preparation Areas
Very High Priority
Current Affairs + General Awareness + Hindi Passage + Graph Interpretation + Table Interpretation
High Priority
History + National Movement + Geography + Economy + Constitution & Public Administration + General Science
Important Scoring Areas
Arithmetic + Hindi + English + Reasoning
Important Advisory: This priority grouping is a preparation recommendation, not an official RRB/UPSSSC ranking. Do not imply that lower-priority subjects can be skipped.
Candidates should cover the entire syllabus because the PET paper tests a wide range of subjects.
UPSSSC PET Syllabus 2026 – Quick Revision Table
| Subject | Marks |
|---|---|
| Indian History | 5 |
| Indian National Movement | 5 |
| Geography | 5 |
| Indian Economy | 5 |
| Indian Constitution & Public Administration | 5 |
| General Science | 5 |
| Elementary Arithmetic | 5 |
| General Hindi | 5 |
| General English | 5 |
| Logic & Reasoning | 5 |
| Current Affairs | 10 |
| General Awareness | 10 |
| Hindi Passage Analysis | 10 |
| Graph Interpretation | 10 |
| Table Interpretation | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
UPSSSC PET Syllabus 2026 FAQs
What is the UPSSSC PET Syllabus 2026?
The UPSSSC PET 2026 syllabus consists of 15 sections covering Indian History, Indian National Movement, Geography, Indian Economy, Indian Constitution and Public Administration, General Science, Elementary Arithmetic, General Hindi, General English, Logic & Reasoning, Current Affairs, General Awareness, Hindi Passage Analysis, Graph Interpretation and Table Interpretation.
How many questions are asked in UPSSSC PET 2026?
A total of 100 objective questions are asked in the UPSSSC PET examination.
What is the total marks of UPSSSC PET?
The examination carries 100 marks, with one mark for each question.
What is the duration of UPSSSC PET 2026?
The examination duration is 2 hours or 120 minutes.
Is there negative marking in UPSSSC PET?
Yes. 0.25 mark is deducted for every incorrect answer.
How many sections are there in UPSSSC PET?
The UPSSSC PET syllabus contains 15 sections.
Which subjects carry 10 marks in UPSSSC PET?
Five areas carry 10 marks each: Current Affairs, General Awareness, Unseen Hindi Passage Analysis, Graph Interpretation, and Table Interpretation.
How many marks are allotted to Elementary Arithmetic in UPSSSC PET?
Elementary Arithmetic carries 5 marks.
Is General Awareness different from Current Affairs?
Yes. Current Affairs focuses mainly on recent national and international events, while General Awareness covers broader static/general knowledge such as countries, capitals, currencies, states, Parliament, important days, organisations, sports, art and culture, books, awards and related topics.
Is UPSSSC PET only for one recruitment?
No. PET is an eligibility/screening examination used in connection with various UPSSSC recruitment processes. Candidates must still satisfy the eligibility and PET-score requirements specified in the individual recruitment notification.
How long is the UPSSSC PET score valid?
Under the updated PET framework, the PET score is valid for three years from the date the result is declared/uploaded by the Commission, subject to applicable rules.
UPSSSC PET 2026 Final Preparation Advice
The UPSSSC PET paper has a balanced distribution between traditional subjects and analytical sections. Candidates should not prepare only History, Geography and Current Affairs.
The 30 marks from Hindi passages, graphs and tables deserve special attention because these areas require practice rather than memorization.
Candidates should solve previous PET questions and take full-length mock tests under the 120-minute time limit.