The premier administrative examination for Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDM) and DSP in Uttar Pradesh.
Mandatory educational background, age limits, pay scale, and service designations
Conducted annually by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), the Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services Examination (popularly known as UP PCS) recruits administrative leadership for the state of Uttar Pradesh. With the recent syllabus overhaul, Optional Subjects have been replaced by two specialized Uttar Pradesh General Studies papers (GS Papers 5 & 6), making local state knowledge decisive.
Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized University (Specific degrees required for specialized technical posts like Sub-Registrar or Law Officer).
21 to 40 Years
SC/ST/OBC of Uttar Pradesh: 5 years (up to 45) | Skilled Players: 5 years | UP Govt Employees: 5 years | PwD of UP: 15 years
General / UR: No attempt limit (Eligible up to 40 years of age)
OBC: No attempt limit (Eligible up to 45 years of age)
SC / ST: No attempt limit (Eligible up to 45 years of age)
Pay Matrix Level 10 (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500) & Level 7/8 + DA, HRA, Medical & Govt Quarters
Annual Vacancies: Approx. 250 – 600 vacancies annually
Stage-wise breakdown, paper timing, question distribution, and negative marking rules
Negative Marking Rule: 1/3rd (0.33) negative marking penalty for incorrect responses in Prelims.
Mode: Offline Pen & Paper (OMR for Prelims, Descriptive Sheets for Mains, In-Person Interview in Prayagraj) | Medium: Bilingual (Hindi / English) for General Studies; General Hindi paper strictly in Devanagari Hindi.
Two objective papers conducted on the same day in morning and afternoon sessions across Uttar Pradesh centers. GS-1 decides the Mains cutoff; CSAT Paper-2 is qualifying with a minimum 33% score required.
| Paper / Component | Format | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper 1: General Studies I Current National & International Events, Indian History & Culture, Indian & World Geography, Indian Polity & Governance, UP Specific GK, General Science & Environment | Objective (MCQ) | 150 | 200 | 2 Hours (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM) | Decides qualification cutoff for Mains |
Paper 2: General Studies II (CSAT) Comprehension, Interpersonal skills including communication, Logical reasoning and analytical ability, Decision making & problem solving, General Mental Ability, Elementary Mathematics up to Class X, General English & General Hindi Class X level | Objective (MCQ) | 100 | 200 | 2 Hours (2:30 PM – 4:30 PM) | Qualifying in nature (Mandatory 33% = 66 marks) |
Comprehensive written test comprising 8 descriptive papers (150 marks each for Hindi & Essay, 200 marks each for GS 1 to 6). Notably features UP GS Papers 5 & 6 covering Uttar Pradesh state history, polity, economy, and culture in place of optional subjects.
| Paper / Component | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General Hindi Grammar, Idioms, Letter Writing, Precis, Translation | Descriptive (Written) | 150 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
Essay 3 Sections: Literature/Culture, Socio-Economic, Science/Environment/National Issues | Descriptive (Written) | 150 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
General Studies I History of Indian Culture, Modern History, World History, Society, Geography | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
General Studies II Constitution, Governance, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
General Studies III Indian Economy, Science & Tech, Environment & Disaster Management, Internal Security | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
General Studies IV Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude, Public Service Values & Case Studies | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
General Studies V (UP Special) History, Civilization, Culture & Architecture of UP, UP Governance & Administration, Law & Order in UP | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
General Studies VI (UP Special) Economy of UP, Public Finance, Infrastructure, Agriculture & Irrigation, Geography, Climate & Minerals of UP | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Counts for merit |
Face-to-face interaction conducted at UPPSC Headquarters in Prayagraj. Evaluates state awareness, executive problem-solving, and leadership aptitude.
| Paper / Component | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Personality Interview Board DAF verification, Uttar Pradesh local issues & schemes, Current affairs, Situational administrative case questions | Interview | 100 | 20 – 30 Minutes | Added to Mains marks (1500 + 100 = 1600 Grand Total Merit) |
Detailed curriculum modules categorized by standard foundations vs. high-yield scoring chapters
Phase-by-phase roadmap, daily study schedule, topper golden rules, and fatal pitfalls to avoid
UPPSC PCS demands a blend of UPSC-level conceptual understanding and granular factual mastery. Since UPPSC eliminated Optional subjects and introduced GS-5 & GS-6 (UP Special), scoring heavily in UP-specific topics, General Hindi, and high-accuracy Prelims MCQs gives candidates an unassailable rank advantage.
NCERTs, Laxmikanth, Spectrum, Ghatna Chakra Previous Years
GS 5 & 6 syllabus points, General Hindi letter drafting, Essay frameworks
Current affairs (Ghatna Chakra Eye/Drishti), CSAT math/reasoning, full mocks
3-hour simulation tests, value addition diagrams, DAF preparation
Topper-validated standard reference books and chapter-wise question banks
Author: Rakesh Saraswat / Dhyeya IAS Editorial | Pub: Dhyeya IAS / McGraw Hill
Exhaustive coverage of the newly introduced UPPSC Mains GS Papers 5 and 6 covering culture, economy, and polity.
Author: Dr. Hardev Bahri / Dr. Vasudev Nandan Prasad | Pub: Lokbharti Prakashan
The standard gold reference for UPPSC General Hindi grammar, administrative letter formats, and vocabulary.
Author: M. Laxmikanth | Pub: McGraw Hill
Indispensable bible for both Prelims and Mains GS-2 constitutional articles and institutions.
Author: Ghatna Chakra Editorial Board | Pub: Samkit Sahitya
Compiles 30 years of topic-wise previous year questions from UPPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, and UPSC with detailed explanations.
Official past category-wise cutoffs to benchmark your target mock scores
| Cycle / Tier / Service | General (UR) | OBC | EWS | SC | ST | Scope & Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Prelims (GS-1 Out of 200) | 125 Marks (~94 Qs) | 125 Marks | 125 Marks | 112 Marks | 105 Marks | Cutoff announced post-scaling; General, OBC, and EWS cutoffs converged identical. |
| 2022 Final Merit (Out of 1600) | 925 Marks (SDM) | 898 Marks | 904 Marks | 852 Marks | 810 Marks | Final marks for Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Executive Branch). |
| 2021 Final Merit (Out of 1600) | 898 Marks (SDM) | 876 Marks | 882 Marks | 835 Marks | 790 Marks | Includes written Mains plus interview marks. |
From initial application to final cadre allocation and joining the training academy
Complete One Time Registration (OTR) on UPPSC portal and submit online application with post preferences.
Appear for Paper 1 (GS) & Paper 2 (CSAT qualifying). Top 12-15 times the total vacancies qualify for Mains.
Sit for 8 descriptive papers over 4-5 days (1500 Marks total merit).
Appear before the interview board in Prayagraj (100 Marks). Merit list prepared combining Mains and Interview.
District medical board check followed by formal gazetted appointment letter.
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