UPPSC PCS syllabus and exam pattern (Prelims, Mains and Interview)
The UPPSC Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services exam (UP PCS) recruits SDMs, DSPs, BDOs and other state officers in Uttar Pradesh. This detailed guide covers the prelims pattern, CSAT, all eight mains papers including the Uttar Pradesh–specific GS V and GS VI, the interview and a preparation checklist.
UPPSC PCS exam pattern at a glance
| Paper / stage | What it covers | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims Paper I — General Studies | History, geography, polity, economy, environment, science and current affairs. Merit for mains shortlisting; 1/3 negative marking. | 150 questions / 200 marks | 2 hours |
| Prelims Paper II — CSAT | Comprehension, reasoning, decision making, elementary maths, general English and Hindi. Qualifying (33%). | 100 questions / 200 marks | 2 hours |
| Mains — 8 descriptive papers | General Hindi, Essay, and General Studies I, II, III, IV, V (UP-specific) and VI (UP-specific). | Hindi 150, Essay 150, GS 200 each | 3 hours each |
| Interview / Personality test | Final merit combines mains and interview marks. | 100 marks | — |
The scheme and syllabus can be revised by the commission. Confirm them from the latest official UPPSC notification.
Prelims Paper I — General Studies syllabus
History of India and the Indian national movement; Indian and world geography (physical, social, economic); Indian polity and governance (constitution, panchayati raj, public policy, rights issues).
Economic and social development (sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives); environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change; general science.
Current events of national and international importance, with a strong share of Uttar Pradesh–specific questions on its history, culture, geography and schemes.
Prelims Paper II — CSAT (qualifying)
Comprehension, interpersonal and communication skills, logical reasoning and analytical ability, decision making and problem solving, general mental ability.
Elementary mathematics up to Class 10 (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics), plus general English and general Hindi up to Class 10 level.
You need 33% to qualify — do not neglect it; many candidates with strong GS scores fail on CSAT.
Mains — General Hindi and Essay
General Hindi: unseen passage, précis, official letters and notifications, word meanings, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and proverbs, sentence and spelling correction.
Essay: three essays from sections on literature and culture, social sphere, political sphere, science and environment, economic sphere, agriculture and industry, national and international events, and natural disasters and development schemes.
Mains — General Studies I to IV
GS I: Indian culture, modern history and freedom struggle, post-independence consolidation, world history, Indian society, and world and Indian geography.
GS II: Indian constitution, federal structure, separation of powers, parliament and state legislatures, judiciary, governance, social justice, welfare schemes and international relations.
GS III: Indian economy and planning, agriculture, food security, infrastructure, science and technology, environment, disaster management and internal security.
GS IV: ethics, integrity and aptitude — ethics in public administration, attitudes, emotional intelligence, probity in governance and case studies.
Mains — GS V and GS VI (Uttar Pradesh special papers)
GS V (UP-specific): history, culture, art, architecture, festivals, folk dances, literature and languages of Uttar Pradesh; contribution of UP in the freedom movement; UP political system, governor, CM, legislature, high court, public service commission, local self-government, and law and order.
GS VI (UP-specific): economy of Uttar Pradesh — state budget, agriculture, industry, trade, infrastructure, planning; geography of UP — rivers, climate, forests, minerals, demography; schemes, education, health and environment issues of the state.
Use the latest UP Economic Survey and state budget documents, and prepare short notes with data points for answer writing.
UPPSC PCS preparation checklist
- Confirm the scheme, paper-wise marks and syllabus in the latest official UPPSC PCS notification at uppsc.up.nic.in
- Build separate Uttar Pradesh notes for GS V and GS VI from day one
- Practise CSAT weekly so you clear the 33% qualifying mark
- Write at least two mains answers a day and one essay a week
- Revise the latest UP budget and Economic Survey figures
- Take full-length prelims mocks and track subject-wise accuracy
Test yourself on state PCS patterns
Attempt PCS-style mock tests on क्रांति with full timing, subject-level accuracy and a rank against other aspirants.