UP Police Constable Recruitment 2026: 30,000+ Vacancies, Eligibility, Physical Standards and Salary
Complete guide to UP Police Constable recruitment 2026 — 30,000+ vacancies, eligibility criteria, physical standards by category, written exam syllabus, salary structure, selection process, and promotion path.
Uttar Pradesh Police is India's largest police force — with over 2.3 lakh sanctioned posts across 75 districts. When UP Police announces a constable recruitment drive, the numbers are staggering: 30,000 to 60,000 vacancies in a single notification. This makes it one of the most accessible government job opportunities for 12th pass candidates in the country.
Here's the complete breakdown of the UP Police Constable recruitment process, physical standards, exam pattern, salary, and what life as a UP Police constable actually looks like.
Vacancy Overview — Why UP Police Is Massive
UP Police Constable recruitment drives are among the largest single-notification recruitments in India:
| Recruitment Cycle | Approximate Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 60,244 |
| 2023 | 52,699 |
| 2022 | 26,382 |
| 2018–19 | 49,568 |
Eligibility Criteria
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | 12th pass (Intermediate) from a recognized board |
| Age — General (UR) | 18–28 years |
| Age — OBC | 18–31 years |
| Age — SC/ST | 18–33 years |
| Domicile | Uttar Pradesh domicile (or national-level for certain reserved categories) |
| Criminal Record | No criminal conviction; no pending criminal cases (verified) |
Physical Standards — Detailed by Category
Physical standards are strictly enforced during PST (Physical Standard Test). There's no second chance — if you don't meet the measurements on the day, you're eliminated.
Height Requirements
| Category | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 168 cm | 152 cm |
| OBC | 167 cm | 152 cm |
| SC | 162 cm | 147 cm |
| ST | 162 cm | 147 cm |
Chest Requirements (Male Only)
| Category | Unexpanded | Expanded (min 5 cm expansion) |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 79 cm | 84 cm |
| OBC | 79 cm | 84 cm |
| SC/ST | 77 cm | 82 cm |
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — Running
| Gender | Distance | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 4.8 km | 25 minutes |
| Female | 2.4 km | 14 minutes |
Selection Process — Four Stages
Stage 1: Written Examination
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Total Questions | 150 (2 marks each) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Negative Marking | Yes — 0.50 marks per wrong answer (25% of marks) |
| Mode | OMR-based (offline) or CBT (computer-based, increasingly) |
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge / Current Affairs | 38 | 76 |
| General Hindi | 37 | 74 |
| Numerical & Mental Ability | 38 | 76 |
| Mental Aptitude / Intelligence / Reasoning | 37 | 74 |
| Total | 150 | 300 |
Stage 2: Physical Standard Test (PST)
Height and chest measurements. Strictly qualifying — no marks, just pass/fail based on the standards listed above.
Stage 3: Physical Efficiency Test (PET)
Running test as described above. Again, qualifying only — no marks.
Stage 4: Document Verification and Medical
- Original documents verified (marksheets, domicile, caste certificate, etc.)
- Medical examination: eyesight (6/6 preferred, correctable with glasses for non-armed roles), hearing, general physical fitness, no flat feet, no color blindness
- Character verification: Police verification of your background
UP Police Constable Salary Structure
| Component | Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹21,700 (UP Police Pay Band, 7th CPC equivalent) |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | ~₹10,850 (approximately 50% of basic) |
| HRA | ₹1,519–₹3,255 (7–15% based on city classification) |
| Other Allowances | ₹1,500–₹3,000 (kit, washing, ration) |
| Gross Salary | ₹28,000–₹35,000 |
| In-hand | ₹24,000–₹30,000 |
- Risk allowance: For deployment in law and order situations, riot control, VIP duty
- Overtime: During elections, festivals, and major events (UP constables are in constant demand)
- Ration money: When on field deployment away from home station
Promotion Path: Constable to Sub Inspector
| Designation | Pay Level | Basic Pay | Approximate Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constable | Level 3 | ₹21,700 | Entry |
| Head Constable | Level 4 | ₹25,500 | 8–12 years (DPC + departmental exam) |
| Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) | Level 5 | ₹29,200 | 15–20 years |
| Sub Inspector (SI) | Level 6 | ₹35,400 | 20–25 years (very competitive — LDCE) |
That said, UP Police has been conducting departmental promotion exams more regularly in recent years, and the large force size means vacancy flow for Head Constable is reasonable.
Posting — Across 75 Districts
UP Police constables are posted across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Your initial posting is typically in the district/zone where vacancies exist — you don't get to choose.
Major posting areas include urban centers (Lucknow, Noida, Agra, Varanasi — traffic and law & order duty), Western UP (Meerut, Muzaffarnagar — communally sensitive), Eastern UP (Gorakhpur, Azamgarh — rural policing), and Bundelkhand (Jhansi, Banda — quieter rural areas). Inter-district transfers are at the department's discretion and not always predictable.
What Daily Life Looks Like
A UP Police constable's typical duties include beat patrolling, chowki (outpost) duty, traffic management, bandobast during protests/elections/festivals, FIR registration assistance, and VIP security duty.
Working hours: There's no fixed 9-to-5. Constables work in shifts — typically 8-hour shifts, but during bandobast (elections, festivals, protests), 12-16 hour duties are common. UP Police is severely understaffed relative to its population (police-to-population ratio among India's lowest), which means longer hours and limited leave.How to Apply
Visit the official UPPRPB website (uppbpb.gov.in), register, fill the application form, upload documents (photo, signature, marksheets, domicile certificate, caste certificate if applicable), pay the fee (₹400 UR/OBC, ₹200 SC/ST), and submit.