UPSSSC PET 2026 Answer Key

UPSSSC PET 2026 Answer Key Overview

The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) conducted the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026 on October 25, 2026, across numerous examination centres in Uttar Pradesh. Candidates who appeared for the state-level eligibility examination can now access the official provisional answer key. Evaluating your responses against this key helps you estimate your raw marks and assess your qualifying prospects for upcoming Group C recruitment notifications.

Provisional Answer Key vs Final Answer Key

Understanding the distinction between provisional and final answer keys is vital for candidates navigating the post-exam evaluation phase:

• Provisional Answer Key: This is the initial set of answers published shortly after the exam concludes. It reflects the tentative answer key prepared by the commission's subject panel. Candidates can examine it and submit objections if they detect factual errors, multiple correct options, or ambiguous phrasing.
• Final Answer Key: Following the closure of the objection window, subject experts evaluate all student representations. If an error is verified, the commission amends the key or nullifies the question. The revised responses form the final answer key, which is definitive. UPSSSC calculates actual result percentiles strictly using this finalized version, and no further representations are entertained against it.

How to Download UPSSSC PET 2026 Answer Key

Follow these official procedures to download your shift-specific master question paper and answer key from the commission website:

• Go to the UPSSSC official website at upsssc.gov.in.
• Locate the Notice Board section or the dedicated link for UPSSSC PET 2026 Answer Key and Objection Tracking.
• Log in using your Registration Number, Roll Number, and Date of Birth or Password.
• Select your designated exam shift and question paper booklet set (Set A, B, C, D, etc.).
• View the provisional answer key document on screen and download the PDF file for verification.

Calculating Your Estimated Score: Marking Scheme and Formula

The UPSSSC Preliminary Eligibility Test 2026 consists of 100 objective-type multiple-choice questions carrying 100 marks, with a total duration of two hours. A negative marking scheme applies to incorrect answers.

• Marks per correct response: +1 mark
• Negative marking per wrong response: -0.25 mark (one-fourth mark deduction)
• Unattempted questions: 0 marks (no penalty)

Calculation Formula

Use the following standard formula to determine your estimated raw marks:

Estimated Raw Score = (Total Correct Answers * 1) - (Total Incorrect Answers * 0.25)

Score Calculation Example

Section-Wise Comparison and Estimating Cut-Offs

To establish a realistic assessment of your performance, tabulate your attempts across specific syllabus domains such as Indian History, Indian National Movement, Geography, Economy, General Science, Elementary Arithmetic, General Hindi, General English, Logic and Reasoning, Current Affairs, General Awareness, and Data Interpretation. Candidates scoring high in Data Interpretation and General Hindi often build strong defensive totals.

While PET is an eligibility test where scores are converted into percentile ranks, various UPSSSC Group C positions require distinct shortlisting cut-offs. Based on paper difficulty, candidates targeting competitive posts like Lekhpal, Junior Assistant, or VDO can aim for the following tentative safe score benchmarks:

• General / Unreserved: 64 to 69 marks
• Other Backward Classes (OBC): 62 to 67 marks
• Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): 62 to 66 marks
• Scheduled Castes (SC): 55 to 60 marks
• Scheduled Tribes (ST): 48 to 53 marks

Step-by-Step Process to Raise Objections

If you identify discrepancies in the provisional key, you can file an objection through the official online interface. Hard copy submissions or email representations are summarily rejected.

• Objection Portal: Access the direct objection tracking link available on upsssc.gov.in.
• Verification Details: Sign in with your roll number and password as printed on your admit card.
• Select Question: Select the specific question ID as per the master question paper published on the portal.
• Submit Documentary Proof: Upload clear, legible scanned copies of authentic reference material. Citations must stem from NCERT textbooks, standard university publications, or official government gazettes. Personal guidebooks or private coaching notes are invalid.
• Fee Payment: Pay the prescribed processing fee per challenged question through online payment gateways.
• Deadline: The objection link typically remains active for 7 to 10 days post publication. Late submissions cannot be processed.

Outcomes of the Objection Process

What Happens If Your Objection Is Accepted?

When an expert committee verifies that a question contains errors or that the provided key was inaccurate, the commission implements corrective measures. If an alternate option is proven correct, marks are updated accordingly for candidates who picked that option. In cases where the question itself is deemed ambiguous, flawed, or has multiple valid options, full marks are generally awarded to all candidates who appeared in that shift. The commission then publishes an updated final answer key, which forms the basis for score normalization and percentile ranking.

What Happens If Your Objection Is Rejected?

If the subject expert panel upholds the original provisional key, the objection is dismissed, and no individual explanation is issued. Candidates cannot submit a direct administrative appeal once the final answer key is notified. While candidates retain the constitutional right to seek legal remedies or request verification records through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, courts rarely interfere with the consensus of qualified academic committees unless gross procedural violations are established.

How to Realistically Judge Your Qualifying Chances

Avoid rushing to conclusions based solely on informal discussions or extreme predictions online. Raw marks vary across exam shifts due to slight variations in question difficulty, and UPSSSC uses an equipercentile normalization method to balance these shifts. Treat your calculated score as an indicator, consider the historical cutoff margins for your category, and focus preparation on specific Mains curricula rather than agonizing over decimal-level margins.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Calculating Your Score

Ensure precise score calculation by steering clear of these common pitfalls:

• Matching with Wrong Question Booklet Sets: UPSSSC evaluates answers based on a master question paper. Ensure you are cross-referencing your question text rather than relying solely on booklet question numbers.
• Overlooking Negative Marking: Do not tally only your correct answers. Failing to apply the mandatory 0.25 penalty for each incorrect attempt creates an artificially inflated score.
• Misreading Dubious Questions: Refrain from treating challenged questions as automatic bonus marks until the official final key confirms that status.
• Counting Multi-marked Questions as Valid: If you shaded two bubbles for a single question on the OMR sheet, it is marked as incorrect, attracting the standard negative deduction.