Key dates
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Daily Uttarakhand + National Current Affairs
50–60% Uttarakhand items — cabinet decisions, disasters, Char Dham, UCC, Himalayan ecology, culture — plus national news, 6–7 diagrams, Prelims MCQs and a Mains question. New every day at 3 PM.
Read today's digest201 Free Indian Polity MCQs
Constitution, Parliament, judiciary, Panchayati Raj — with explanations. Plus 203 geography and 200 environment MCQs on the site.
Practise free316 UPSC Prelims PYQs (free)
Actual UPSC Prelims questions with explanations — the same GS standard as UKPSC Paper I's national portion.
Solve PYQsSyllabus Tracker
Track GS preparation micro-topic by micro-topic; syncs across devices and in our Telegram Mini App. (Uttarakhand-specific checklist coming soon.)
Open trackerVacancies — 63 posts
| Post | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Deputy Collector (SDM) | as notified |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) | as notified |
| Finance Officer / Treasury posts | as notified |
| Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) | as notified |
| Other Group B/C posts | as notified |
Post-wise numbers (Deputy Collector, DSP, Finance Officer, ARTO and others) will be issued with the detailed advertisement; the figure can be revised.
Eligibility & application fee
Qualification: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university (any discipline). Some posts (e.g. Deputy Education Officer, Law Officer, Probation Officer) require a post-graduate or subject-specific qualification.
Age limit (Age counted as on 1 July of the exam year (as in previous UKPSC cycles — confirm in the detailed advertisement))
| Unreserved | 21 – 42 years |
|---|---|
| SC / ST / OBC of Uttarakhand | relaxation as per state rules (usually 5 years) |
| PwD, ex-servicemen | relaxation as per state rules |
Application fee
| Unreserved / other-state candidates | ₹166.36 (Prelims); ₹266.36 (Mains) |
|---|---|
| OBC / EWS of Uttarakhand | ₹166.36 (Prelims); ₹166.36 (Mains) |
| SC / ST of Uttarakhand | ₹76.36 (Prelims); ₹116.36 (Mains) |
| Persons with disability | ₹16.36 |
| Orphans (Uttarakhand) | no fee |
Fees as charged in the previous cycle; the detailed advertisement may revise them.
Exam pattern
Prelims
| Paper I — General Studies | 150 questions · 150 marks · 2 hours — decides the Mains shortlist |
|---|---|
| Paper II — General Aptitude (CSAT) | 100 questions · 150 marks · 2 hours — qualifying, minimum 33% |
| Negative marking | 1/4 mark deducted per wrong answer; unattempted questions not penalised |
| Nature | Screening only — Prelims marks not counted in the final merit |
Mains
| Paper I — General Hindi | 150 marks (minimum 35% needed for other papers to be evaluated) |
|---|---|
| Paper II — Essay | 150 marks |
| Paper III — GS-I: History, culture, geography | 200 marks |
| Paper IV — GS-II: Polity, governance, IR | 200 marks |
| Paper V — GS-III: Science & technology, environment | 200 marks |
| Paper VI — GS-IV: Economy, inclusive growth | 200 marks |
| Paper VII — GS-V: Uttarakhand history, culture, society | 200 marks |
| Paper VIII — GS-VI: Uttarakhand geography, economy, administration | 200 marks |
| Total Mains | 1,500 marks (8 papers, 3 hours each) |
Interview & final merit
| Personality test | 150 marks |
|---|---|
| Final merit | 1,650 marks (1,500 Mains + 150 Interview) |
Syllabus at a glance
Prelims (General Studies)
- History of India and the national movement; history and culture of Uttarakhand (Kumaon, Garhwal, Jaunsar, freedom movement, statehood movement)
- Geography of India and Uttarakhand — Himalayan physiography, rivers, glaciers, forests, disasters
- Indian polity and governance; Uttarakhand administration, Panchayati Raj, UCC
- Indian economy; Uttarakhand economy — budget, tourism, hydropower, horticulture, migration (palayan), GEP
- Environment, ecology, biodiversity — Himalayan ecology, protected areas (Corbett, Rajaji, Nanda Devi, Valley of Flowers)
- General science and technology
- Current events of national, international and Uttarakhand importance; awards, sports, GI tags
- CSAT (Paper II) — comprehension, reasoning, decision-making, basic numeracy, Hindi comprehension
Mains
- GS-I — History and culture of India, world & Indian geography
- GS-II — Constitution, polity, governance, social justice, international relations
- GS-III — Science & technology, environment, energy, disaster management
- GS-IV — Indian economy, agriculture, inclusive growth, planning
- GS-V — Uttarakhand: history, culture, society, statehood movement, art and heritage
- GS-VI — Uttarakhand: geography, economy, agriculture, tourism, administration, disaster management
- Essay — three sections, one essay from each
- General Hindi — comprehension, grammar, précis, letter and official drafting
Uttarakhand-specific content is the deciding factor: two full Mains papers (GS-V and GS-VI, 400 marks) and typically 25–35% of Prelims Paper I are about the state — its history, geography, disasters, ecology, economy and schemes.
Prelims cut-off trend
Prelims Paper I cut-off (out of 150)
| Category | Band |
|---|---|
| Unreserved | roughly 55–65% in recent cycles (≈ 83–98 marks) |
| Reserved categories | lower bands, published category-wise with each result |
UKPSC publishes exact category cut-offs with each Prelims result; the 2026 figures will be added when released.
Latest UKPSC current affairs
Daily Uttarakhand + national current affairs digest, published every day at 3 PM IST. Open the UKPSC current-affairs page →
Study material built for this exam
Mains Answer Evaluation
One assigned mentor, maximum 2 working days per copy — GS, Essay and Hindi.
ViewMountains · Lakes · Waterfalls of India
Static geography fact-sheets with maps — Himalayan ranges, glacial lakes and waterfalls are UKPSC favourites.
ViewUPSC Prelims Hacked 2.0
13 golden rules tested against 1,268 real Prelims PYQs — elimination techniques for negative-marking papers.
ViewEvery PDF has a free sample. PDFs are watermarked to you and emailed within minutes of purchase.
Frequently asked questions
When is the UKPSC Upper PCS 2026 Prelims?
The Commission's calendar proposes the Prelims for the first fortnight of October 2026. The exact date and the application window will be confirmed in the detailed advertisement on psc.uk.gov.in — the June 2026 notice was a short notification only.
How many vacancies are there in UKPSC Upper PCS 2026?
63 posts have been announced (Deputy Collector, DSP, Finance Officer, ARTO and others). The post-wise breakdown will come with the detailed advertisement.
What is the UKPSC Prelims pattern?
Two objective papers of 2 hours each: Paper I General Studies (150 questions, 150 marks) which decides the Mains shortlist, and Paper II CSAT (100 questions, 150 marks) which is qualifying at 33%. There is negative marking of 1/4 mark per wrong answer.
What is the UKPSC Mains pattern?
Eight descriptive papers totalling 1,500 marks — General Hindi (150), Essay (150) and General Studies I–VI (200 each). GS-V and GS-VI are Uttarakhand-specific. At least 35% in General Hindi is required for the other papers to be evaluated.
How is the final UKPSC merit prepared?
Mains (1,500) + personality test (150) = 1,650 marks. Prelims marks are not counted.
What is the age limit for UKPSC Upper PCS?
21 to 42 years for unreserved candidates, with relaxation for SC/ST/OBC of Uttarakhand, PwD and ex-servicemen as per state rules. The reference date is given in the detailed advertisement (1 July in previous cycles).
What is the UKPSC application fee?
In the last cycle: ₹166.36 for unreserved and OBC/EWS of Uttarakhand, ₹76.36 for SC/ST of Uttarakhand, ₹16.36 for PwD, and no fee for orphans (Prelims). A separate Mains fee applies to those who qualify.
How much of the exam is Uttarakhand-specific?
Two full Mains papers (GS-V and GS-VI, 400 marks) and roughly a quarter to a third of Prelims Paper I. That is why our daily UKPSC digest keeps 50–60% Uttarakhand items — schemes, disasters, Himalayan ecology, culture, awards.
Is the UKPSC exam in Hindi or English?
Question papers are bilingual (Hindi and English). Mains has a compulsory General Hindi paper with a 35% gateway, so working Hindi is essential.
Can UPSC preparation be reused for UKPSC?
Mostly yes for GS-I to GS-IV and the national portion of Prelims. Add dedicated Uttarakhand preparation (history, geography, disasters, economy, schemes) for Prelims and for GS-V/GS-VI, and practise the CSAT to clear 33% comfortably.
Does StudyForGS evaluate UKPSC Mains answers?
Yes. Upload handwritten answers, get them evaluated by an assigned mentor within 2 working days; the first 2 copies are free.
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Get the UKPSC digest on Telegram every day
Free PDF at 3 PM, plus updates on dates, admit cards and results.
Dates, vacancies and cut-offs are compiled from the Commission's notices and revised calendars and are updated when the Commission publishes changes. Always confirm on the official website before applying.