The preliminary exam of the Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services, commonly called as PCS, was held at 1,241 centres across 51 districts of the state by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) on Sunday.

A total of 60.99% of the total registered candidates appeared in the first session while the second session saw the attendance of 60.37% of the total registered candidates, said UPPSC officials.

“The total number of registered candidates for the recruitment exam was 5,65,459 out of whom 3,44,877 (60.99%) appeared in the first session. Likewise, in the second session, 3,41,392 (60.37%) of the total candidates were present,” UPPSC secretary Vinod Kumar Gaur informed media persons.

In Prayagraj, out of 34,464 registered aspirants, 23,852 appeared in the first session (69.21%) while 23,516 appeared in the second session (68.23%), he added.

PCS(Prelim)-2023 was conducted under CCTV surveillance across the state for which the UPPSC had made elaborative arrangements.

This examination was held to fill up 173 posts. There were two question papers of 200 marks each. Sector magistrates were posted in every district. Members of the commission were also appointed to conduct the examination and officials of the commission also remained deployed as observers.

The district administration, Prayagraj, too had made arrangements for which the city was divided into four zones and 25 sectors, with ADM-ranked officers posted as zonal magistrates and SDM-ranked officials, tehsildars and district-level officers as sector magistrates. As many as 75 examination centers were set up in the city.