UP PET Answer Key 2026 Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has released the provisional answer key for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 on 2 November 2026. The commission has uploaded shift-wise master set answer keys for all six shifts of the exam on its official website, upsssc.gov.in.
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The UP PET 2026 written exam (Advertisement No. 16-Pariksha/2026) was held on 25 October, 30 October and 1 November 2026, in two shifts each day, at centres in 60 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Around 35 lakh candidates reportedly applied this year, which makes PET one of the largest recruitment exams in the country.
As per the official notice, the provisional answer keys will remain available on the commission’s website until 8 November 2026. Candidates should download the key for their exam date and shift, match it with their responses, and work out their expected score.
In this article, we cover the official notice details, the shift-wise answer key list, how to download the key, how to calculate your score, the exam pattern and what comes next.
UP PET Answer Key 2026: Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Commission | Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) |
| Exam Name | Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 |
| Advertisement No. | 16-Pariksha/2026 |
| Exam Dates | 25 October, 30 October and 1 November 2026 |
| Shifts | Two per day (six shifts in total) |
| Exam Centres | 60 districts of Uttar Pradesh |
| Answer Key Notice No. | 249/15/Computer Anubhag (Barah)/2026/16-Pariksha/2026 |
| Answer Key Release Date | 2 November 2026 |
| Answer Key Type | Provisional (master set, shift-wise) |
| Available Till | 8 November 2026 |
| Official Website | upsssc.gov.in |
UP PET 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application | 3 August to 7 September 2026 |
| Exam city intimation slip | 12 October 2026 |
| Admit card release | 17, 23 and 25 October 2026 (phase-wise) |
| Exam dates | 25 October, 30 October and 1 November 2026 |
| Exam timing | Shift 1: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM; Shift 2: 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM |
| Provisional answer key | 2 November 2026 |
| Answer key available on website till | 8 November 2026 |
| Result / scorecard | To be announced |
What Does the Official UPSSSC Notice Say?
The notice dated 2 November 2026, signed by the Exam Controller of UPSSSC, says:
- The PET 2026 written exam under Advertisement No. 16-Pariksha/2026 was held on 25-10-2026, 30-10-2026 and 01-11-2026, in two shifts each day, at centres in 60 districts of the state.
- The provisional answer keys of the master set, date-wise and shift-wise, have been uploaded on upsssc.gov.in.
- Separate links have been given for each of the six shifts.
- These provisional answer keys will remain on the commission’s website until 8 November 2026.
Shift-Wise Answer Key List
| Exam Date | Shift | Timing | Answer Key |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 October 2026 | Shift 1 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Available (link in official notice) |
| 25 October 2026 | Shift 2 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Available (link in official notice) |
| 30 October 2026 | Shift 1 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Available (link in official notice) |
| 30 October 2026 | Shift 2 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Available (link in official notice) |
| 1 November 2026 | Shift 1 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Available (link in official notice) |
| 1 November 2026 | Shift 2 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Available (link in official notice) |
Important: The answer keys are for the master set of each shift. Your question booklet series may have questions in a different order, so match each question by its content, not just its number.
About objections: The 2 November notice does not mention an objection window. If UPSSSC opens one, it will be announced in a separate notice on upsssc.gov.in.
Also Read: Birbhum DMMU CRP Recruitment 2026: Apply for Community Resource Persons Posts
How to Download UP PET Answer Key 2026
- Visit the official UPSSSC website, upsssc.gov.in.
- On the homepage, open the Notice / Advertisement section.
- Click on the notice for “PET-2026 Provisional Answer Key” (Advertisement No. 16-Pariksha/2026), dated 2 November 2026.
- The notice PDF will open, with separate links for each exam date and shift.
- Click on the link for your exam date and shift.
- The master set answer key will open. Download and save it.
- Keep your question booklet or noted responses ready to match the answers.
Download the key before 8 November 2026, because the commission has said the keys will be available on the website only until then.
How to Calculate Your UP PET Score
UP PET has 100 questions of 1 mark each, with 0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer.
Formula: Score = (Correct answers × 1) − (Wrong answers × 0.25)
| Example | Correct | Wrong | Unattempted | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate A | 75 | 15 | 10 | 75 − 3.75 = 71.25 |
| Candidate B | 65 | 25 | 10 | 65 − 6.25 = 58.75 |
| Candidate C | 80 | 20 | 0 | 80 − 5 = 75 |
The final PET score is usually normalised across shifts, so your official score may be slightly different from your raw score.
UP PET 2026 Exam Pattern
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Offline (OMR-based) |
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Marking | +1 for each correct answer |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 for each wrong answer |
| Subjects | History, Geography, Economy, Polity, General Science, Elementary Arithmetic, Hindi, English, Reasoning, Current Affairs, General Awareness, Graph and Table Interpretation |
Also Read: JIPMER Senior Resident Recruitment 2026 Notification out, Apply Now
What Next After the UP PET Answer Key?
- Final answer key: UPSSSC is expected to release a final answer key after reviewing the provisional key.
- Result and scorecard: The PET result will be declared on upsssc.gov.in, with a normalised score for each candidate.
- Scorecard validity: The UP PET 2026 scorecard is valid for three years from the date of the result.
- Main exams: Candidates with valid PET scores will be shortlisted for UPSSSC Group C main exams, such as Junior Assistant, Lekhpal, VDO and others, as per each recruitment’s cut-off.
Since PET is an eligibility test, a higher score improves your chances of being shortlisted for more Group C recruitments over the next three years.
FAQs
Q1. Has the UP PET Answer Key 2026 been released? Yes. UPSSSC released the shift-wise provisional answer key on 2 November 2026.
Q2. Till when will the UP PET answer key be available? The provisional keys will be available on upsssc.gov.in until 8 November 2026.
Q3. For which exam dates has the answer key been released? For all six shifts of the exams held on 25 October, 30 October and 1 November 2026.
Q4. Can I raise an objection against the UP PET answer key? The 2 November notice does not mention an objection window. Check upsssc.gov.in for any separate notice on objections.
Q5. Is there negative marking in UP PET? Yes. 0.25 marks are deducted for every wrong answer.
Q6. Why doesn’t my question order match the answer key? The keys are for the master set. Your booklet series may have questions in a different order, so match questions by their content.
Q7. How long is the UP PET 2026 scorecard valid? The scorecard is valid for three years from the date of the result.
Q8. When will the UP PET 2026 result be declared? UPSSSC has not announced the result date yet. It is expected after the final answer key.
