UPPSC PCS 2026 Exam Pattern: Questions, Marks, Duration & Negative Marking
UPPSC PCS 2026 exam pattern — number of questions, marks per question, duration, negative marking scheme, section-wise split, and tips to maximise your score within the time limit.
Reviewed by: StudyRoadmap Editorial · Last verified: 2026-04-24
UPPSC PCS 2026 exam pattern
Preliminary Examination consists of two objective papers of 200 marks each (General Studies I and II) with 1/3 negative marking. Candidates must appear for both papers. Mains Examination has eight conventional (descriptive) papers: General Hindi (Paper 1, 150 marks), Essay (Paper 2, 150 marks), General Studies I (Paper 3, 200 marks — History, Geography), General Studies II (Paper 4, 200 marks — Indian Polity, Governance), General Studies III (Paper 5, 200 marks — Economy, Science, Technology), General Studies IV (Paper 6, 200 marks — Logical Reasoning, Decision Making), and two optional subject papers (Paper 7 and 8, 200 marks each). The Interview/Personality Test carries 100 marks. Final selection is based on Mains and Interview combined.
Subjects in this exam
- History: 10 topics
- Geography: 10 topics
- Indian Polity: 10 topics
- Economics: 10 topics
- General Science: 8 topics