UPSSSC PET 2026 Exam Dates Out: 3-Day Schedule and Shift Timings Revealed

Ending weeks of anticipation for millions of government job aspirants across Uttar Pradesh, the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has formally published the examination calendar for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026. According to the official notification issued from the commission's headquarters in Lucknow, the high-stakes state screening examination will be administered over three consecutive days on October 23, October 24, and October 25, 2026. Serving as the mandatory gateway screening test for Group B and Group C non-gazetted government recruitments across Uttar Pradesh, candidates who registered prior to the deadline must now transition toward final revision and mock testing routines.

Three-Day Schedule with Two Daily Shifts Across Uttar Pradesh

To seamlessly accommodate massive candidate volumes across all 75 districts of the state, the UPSSSC PET 2026 examination will be conducted in two dedicated shifts each day across designated urban and semi-urban test centers. The morning shift is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, while the afternoon session will take place from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Each paper will have a total duration of two hours (120 minutes). Every candidate’s specific exam date, reporting time, assigned shift, and allocated test center address will be printed on their personalized hall ticket.

Hall Ticket Release Timeline and How to Download Admit Cards

While the official examination dates have been established, UPSSSC will announce the specific release date for hall tickets closer to the test window. Admit cards are typically uploaded on the official commission portal seven to ten days prior to the commencement of the exam. Candidates should regularly monitor the notice board section on upsssc.gov.in. Once the admit card link goes live, applicants will be required to log in using their registration number, date of birth, and gender verification credentials to download and print their admit cards, ensuring that all demographic particulars, signature scans, and examination venue directions are verified immediately.

100 Questions for 100 Marks: Pattern and Strict Negative Marking

The UPSSSC PET 2026 question paper consists of 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) carrying an aggregate total of 100 marks. The test evaluates candidates across a comprehensive syllabus comprising Indian History, the Indian National Movement, Geography, Indian Economy, the Indian Constitution and Public Administration, General Science, Elementary Arithmetic, General Hindi, General English, Logical Reasoning, Current Affairs, and General Awareness. Candidates must navigate the paper cautiously due to a strict negative marking penalty: one-fourth (0.25 marks) will be deducted for every incorrect response, discouraging speculative guesswork during the examination.

Eligibility Criteria and Successful Application Closure

The registration window for UPSSSC PET 2026 officially launched on August 3, 2026, and successfully concluded on September 7, 2026, alongside the final fee submission deadline, while the online form correction portal remained accessible until September 8. The baseline minimum qualification requires passing the High School (Class 10) examination from a recognized education board, with higher graduates also welcomed to compete. The age window was set between a minimum of 18 years and an upper threshold of 40 years as of July 1, 2026, with standard category-based age relaxations extended to reserved-class candidates. The examination fee structure was established at ₹185 for General and OBC applicants, ₹95 for SC and ST candidates, and ₹25 for differently-abled applicants.