UKPSC Syllabus 2025 & Detailed Exam Pattern (Combined Civil Services)

Q: Is there negative marking in the UKPSC Preliminary exam?

Yes, there is a penalty of 1/4th of the marks assigned to a question for every incorrect answer in both Paper I (GS) and Paper II (Aptitude Test) of the Preliminary examination.

Q: What is the role of the Prelims GS Paper II (Aptitude)?

The GS Paper II is qualifying in nature. A candidate must score a minimum of 33% in this paper. Its marks are not counted for the Prelims cut-off, which is based solely on the score of GS Paper I.

The Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) conducts the Combined State Civil/Upper Subordinate Service Examination for recruitment to various prestigious posts like Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and other allied services. To succeed in this challenging three-stage exam, a thorough understanding of the comprehensive syllabus and the latest exam pattern for the Preliminary, Main, and Interview stages is the first and most crucial step.

This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of the UKPSC syllabus and the detailed exam structure for all stages to help you create a winning preparation strategy for 2025.

Also explore: RPSC RAS Syllabus GPSC Syllabus UKPSC Exam Overview

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UKPSC 2025: Exam Overview & Pattern

The UKPSC selection process is a three-stage journey. The final merit list is prepared based on the total marks obtained in the Main (Written) Exam and the Interview.

Preliminary Exam Pattern (Qualifying)

Paper	Subject	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration
Paper I	General Studies	150	150	2 Hours
Paper II	General Aptitude (CSAT)	100	150	2 Hours

Key Points for Prelims:

Nature of Papers: Paper I (General Studies) is the merit-deciding paper for shortlisting for Mains. Paper II (General Aptitude) is qualifying in nature (minimum 33% marks required).
Negative Marking: Yes, there is a negative marking of 1/4th of the marks for each incorrect answer.
Nature of Exam: Objective type (MCQs).

Check syllabus for: HPSC Syllabus HPPSC HPAS Syllabus

Main Exam Pattern (Merit Deciding)

The Main Exam consists of seven descriptive papers. The marks from all papers, except the qualifying language paper, are counted for the final merit list.

Paper	Subject	Max Marks	Duration
Paper 1	Language (Qualifying)	300	3 Hours
Paper 2	History of India, National Movement, Society and Culture	200	3 Hours
Paper 3	Indian Polity, Social Justice and International Relations	200	3 Hours
Paper 4	Geography of India and the World	200	3 Hours
Paper 5	Economic and Social Development	200	3 Hours
Paper 6	General Science and Technology	200	3 Hours
Paper 7	General Aptitude and Ethics	200	3 Hours

Interview Stage (Personality Test)

Candidates who qualify the Main exam are called for the final stage, the Personal Interview. The interview carries 150 marks.

Final Merit List: The final selection will be based on the total marks obtained in the Main Examination (1500 Marks) + Interview (150 Marks), for a total of 1650 marks.

UKPSC Syllabus 2025: In-Depth Topic Breakdown

The syllabus for the UKPSC exam is extensive and requires comprehensive coverage, with a very strong emphasis on the state of Uttarakhand.

Detailed Topic-wise Syllabus

Subject / Exam Stage	In-Depth Topics & Chapters
Prelims: General Studies - I	History of India and Indian National Movement: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern history. Indian and World Geography: Physical, social, and economic geography. Indian Polity and Governance: Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues. Economic and Social Development: Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics. General Science & Technology: General appreciation and understanding of science. Current Affairs: National and international events. Knowledge of Uttarakhand: History, geography, culture, economy, and administration of Uttarakhand. (High Weightage)
Prelims: General Aptitude - Paper II (Qualifying)	Comprehension. Interpersonal skills including communication skills. Logical reasoning and analytical ability. Decision making and problem-solving. General mental ability. Basic numeracy (Class X level) and Data interpretation.
Mains: General Studies Papers (Paper 2 to 7)	The Mains syllabus is vast and requires descriptive answers. Paper 2 (History): History of India (Ancient, Medieval, Modern), National Movement, Post-Independence consolidation, and History of Uttarakhand. Paper 3 (Polity): Indian Constitution, Governance, Social Justice, and International Relations. Paper 4 (Geography): Geography of India and the World, with a special focus on the Geography of Uttarakhand. Paper 5 (Economy): Economic and Social Development of India and Uttarakhand. Paper 6 (Science & Tech): General Science and Technology, Environment, and Biodiversity. Paper 7 (Ethics): Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude, with case studies.

Subject / Exam Stage

In-Depth Topics & Chapters

Prelims: General Studies - I

History of India and Indian National Movement: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern history.
Indian and World Geography: Physical, social, and economic geography.
Indian Polity and Governance: Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues.
Economic and Social Development: Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics.
General Science & Technology: General appreciation and understanding of science.
Current Affairs: National and international events.
Knowledge of Uttarakhand: History, geography, culture, economy, and administration of Uttarakhand. (High Weightage)

Prelims: General Aptitude - Paper II (Qualifying)

Comprehension.
Interpersonal skills including communication skills.
Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
Decision making and problem-solving.
General mental ability.
Basic numeracy (Class X level) and Data interpretation.

Mains: General Studies Papers (Paper 2 to 7)

The Mains syllabus is vast and requires descriptive answers.

Paper 2 (History): History of India (Ancient, Medieval, Modern), National Movement, Post-Independence consolidation, and History of Uttarakhand.
Paper 3 (Polity): Indian Constitution, Governance, Social Justice, and International Relations.
Paper 4 (Geography): Geography of India and the World, with a special focus on the Geography of Uttarakhand.
Paper 5 (Economy): Economic and Social Development of India and Uttarakhand.
Paper 6 (Science & Tech): General Science and Technology, Environment, and Biodiversity.
Paper 7 (Ethics): Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude, with case studies.

Related Syllabi: RPSC RAS GPSC HPPSC HPAS

Download UKPSC Syllabus 2025 PDF

(Candidates are advised to download the official syllabus PDF for complete details from psc.uk.gov.in)

FAQs: UKPSC Syllabus 2025

Q1: Is there negative marking in the UKPSC Preliminary exam?

Ans: Yes, there is a penalty of 1/4th of the marks assigned to a question for every incorrect answer in both Paper I (GS) and Paper II (Aptitude Test) of the Preliminary examination.

Q2: What is the role of the Prelims GS Paper II (Aptitude)?

Ans: The GS Paper II is qualifying in nature. A candidate must score a minimum of 33% in this paper. Its marks are not counted for the Prelims cut-off, which is based solely on the score of GS Paper I.

Q3: How important is the knowledge of Uttarakhand for this exam?

Ans: It is extremely important. The Prelims GS Paper I has a significant section dedicated to Uttarakhand GK. In the Mains exam, several General Studies papers have dedicated units on the history, geography, and economy of Uttarakhand.

Q4: What is the nature of the Mains exam papers?

Ans: All papers of the UKPSC Main Examination, including the Language paper, are subjective and descriptive in nature, requiring candidates to write detailed, essay-type answers.

Q5: What is the weightage of the Interview in the final selection?

Ans: The final merit list is prepared out of a total of 1650 marks (1500 for Mains + 150 for Interview). The interview carries a weightage of 150 marks, making it a crucial stage for securing a high rank and getting the desired service.