Candidates wait in a queue to enter an examination centre for appearing in UP Lekhpal Exams, in Moradabad. (PTI Photo)The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has revised the schedule for the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2026. The written examination, which was earlier scheduled for October 23, 24 and 25, will now be conducted on October 25, October 30 and November 1, 2026. Around 35.42 lakh candidates have registered for this year’s PET.EventRevised schedulePET 2026 examOctober 25, October 30 and November 1, 2026Shift 110 am to 12 noonShift 23 pm to 5 pmExam duration2 hoursEarlier exam datesOctober 23, 24 and 25, 2026The PET will be conducted in two shifts on all three examination days. The first shift will run from 10 am to noon, while the second shift will be held from 3 pm to 5 pm. Candidates should check their individual admit cards for the allotted examination date, shift and centre, and follow the reporting instructions mentioned there. The Commission has not specified the admit card release date in the revised schedule and has said candidates will be informed separately.What is UPSSSC PET?The Preliminary Eligibility Test is a qualifying examination conducted by UPSSSC for recruitment to various Group B and Group C posts under the Uttar Pradesh government. Candidates who qualify the PET can subsequently become eligible to appear for recruitment examinations for posts for which PET is prescribed as a preliminary eligibility requirement. These include recruitments such as Lekhpal and Junior Assistant, among others.The PET 2026 notification was issued under Advertisement No. 16-Exam/2026. The application process began on August 3. Following technical and OTP-related problems reported by candidates during registration, UPSSSC extended the application deadline to September 7, 2026. Candidates were required to complete One Time Registration (OTR) before submitting the PET application.The increase in registrations has also meant that the examination is being spread across three dates and multiple shifts. The Commission has reported 35.42 lakh registrations, compared with about 25.3 lakh candidates in the previous PET cycle. Candidates should therefore rely on their individual admit cards for the final examination-day details rather than the general schedule alone.