The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC), Lucknow has released the notification for the Sports Directorate Main Examination (PET-2025)/22 vide Advertisement No. 22-Examination/2026 dated 30 September 2026. A total of 108 vacancies of Deputy Sports Officer, Assistant Coach, Lifeguard and Groundsman will be filled in the Sports Directorate (Khel Nideshalaya) of Uttar Pradesh. Online applications will be accepted from 14 October 2026 to 04 November 2026. Only candidates who appeared in UPSSSC PET-2025 and hold a valid PET-2025 scorecard can apply. The minimum qualification is High School (10th) pass for Groundsman and Lifeguard posts and graduation with a sports coaching diploma for Deputy Sports Officer and Assistant Coach posts. Read the notification for eligibility, selection process, pay scale and all other information.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 30 September 2026 |
| Online application start | 14 October 2026 |
| Last date to apply and pay fee | 04 November 2026 |
| Fee reconciliation and application correction last date | 11 November 2026 |
| Written examination | To be notified |
| Admit card | To be notified |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | Rs. 25/- |
| SC / ST | Rs. 25/- |
| PH candidates | Rs. 25/- |
At the application stage, only an online processing fee of Rs. 25 is charged for all categories; the application fee itself is Rs. 0. The fee is payable by credit card, debit card, internet banking, UPI or SBI e-challan — no other mode is allowed. The last date for fee payment is 04 November 2026; the bank must reconcile the fee by 11 November 2026, and corrections can be made until that date. The examination fee for the Main Examination is separate, payable only by shortlisted candidates before downloading the admission card, and its amount is not specified in the notification.
Vacancy Details
| Post Name | Pay Level | Vacancies | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer (Up Kridhadhikari) | Level 6 (Rs. 35,400 – 1,12,400) | 44 | Graduate + NIS/LNIPE coaching diploma + 2 yrs coaching experience + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Deputy Sports Officer — Special Selection | Level 6 | 6 | Graduate + NIS/LNIPE coaching diploma + 2 yrs coaching experience + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Assistant Coach (Swimming) | Level 5 (Rs. 29,200 – 92,300) | 24 | Graduate + coaching diploma (Swimming) + 2 yrs coaching experience + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Assistant Coach (Swimming) — Special Selection | Level 5 | 1 | Graduate + coaching diploma (Swimming) + 2 yrs coaching experience + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Assistant Coach (Cricket / Football / Shooting / Weightlifting / Fencing / Wrestling / Hockey x2 / Table Tennis / Handball / Wushu / Lawn Tennis) | Level 5 | 12 | Graduate + coaching diploma in relevant sport + 2 yrs coaching experience + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Lifeguard (Jeevan Rakshak) | Level 3 (Rs. 21,700 – 69,100) | 15 | High School pass + 3 yrs practical experience as Lifeguard + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Lifeguard — Special Selection | Level 3 | 3 | High School pass + 3 yrs practical experience as Lifeguard + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Groundsman | Level 4 (Rs. 25,500 – 81,100) | 2 | High School pass + practical experience in preparing/marking sports grounds and courts + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Groundsman — Special Selection | Level 4 | 1 | High School pass + practical experience in preparing/marking sports grounds and courts + PET-2025 scorecard |
| Total | 108 |
The notification states that the vacancy numbers and category-wise figures are tentative and may be revised in line with the latest Uttar Pradesh Government rules and orders. Posts are permanent and temporary as shown post-wise in the notification. Horizontal reservation (ex-servicemen, women, low vision etc.) applies post-wise as per the notification.
Eligibility Criteria
Only candidates who appeared in the UPSSSC Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET) 2025 and hold a valid PET-2025 scorecard issued by the Commission can apply. Candidates with zero, negative or less-than-zero absolute or normalized PET-2025 scores are not shortlisted. Applicants must be citizens of India and must hold the mandatory educational qualification and other required eligibility, with the relevant certificates, by the last date of application (04 November 2026).
For Deputy Sports Officer, the mandatory qualification is a graduate degree from a recognised university, a diploma in coaching in the relevant sport from Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (Patiala, Bangalore or Kolkata), Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (Thiruvananthapuram or Gwalior) or an equivalent institution recognised by the Government of India, plus two years of coaching experience. The same diploma-plus-experience condition applies to Assistant Coach in the relevant sport. For Groundsman, a High School examination pass certificate plus practical experience in preparing and marking playing fields and courts for outdoor and indoor games is required. For Lifeguard, a High School pass certificate plus at least three years of practical experience working as a lifeguard is required. Only one application is to be submitted; if more than one is submitted, the last one is accepted.
Age Limit
| Age Limit (as on 01/07/2026) | Age |
|---|---|
| Groundsman — minimum / maximum | 18 years / 40 years |
| Lifeguard — minimum / maximum | 18 years / 40 years |
| Deputy Sports Officer — minimum / maximum | 21 years / 40 years |
| Assistant Coach (all sports) — minimum / maximum | 21 years / 40 years |
The upper age limit is relaxed for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other notified categories as per Uttar Pradesh Government rules. Persons already in government service get relaxation equal to their completed years of government service for Deputy Sports Officer and Assistant Coach posts. The date of birth recorded in the High School or equivalent certificate is the only date of birth accepted.
Salary / Pay Scale
Deputy Sports Officer is in Pay Level-6 — Rs. 35,400 to Rs. 1,12,400. Assistant Coach posts are in Pay Level-5 — Rs. 29,200 to Rs. 92,300. Groundsman is in Pay Level-4 — Rs. 25,500 to Rs. 81,100. Lifeguard is in Pay Level-3 — Rs. 21,700 to Rs. 69,100. These are the minimum and maximum of the pay scales; allowances are not specified in the notification and are admissible as per Uttar Pradesh Government norms.
Selection Process
- Shortlisting based on the normalized UPSSSC PET-2025 score — candidates equal to 15 times the advertised posts (category-wise) are shortlisted for the written examination.
- Written examination — objective MCQ paper of 100 questions in 2 hours, conducted under the UP Group “C” direct recruitment rules.
- Document verification — candidates give post preferences at this stage; allotment is based on merit, post availability, educational qualification and age limit. The Commission’s decision is final.
- Medical examination as per the applicable rules.
The notification names no interview or physical test stage. Only candidates who appeared in PET-2025 and hold a scorecard can apply.
Exam Pattern
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-1 | History of India and Indian National Movement | 4 | 4 |
| Geography of India and World | 4 | 4 | |
| Economic and Social Development of India | 3 | 3 | |
| Indian Polity and Indian Constitution | 3 | 3 | |
| General Science and Technology | 3 | 3 | |
| Environmental Ecology and Disaster Management | 3 | 3 | |
| Current Events of National and International Importance | 5 | 5 | |
| Sports-Related Information | 40 | 40 | |
| Part-2 | Computer and Information Technology | 15 | 15 |
| Part-3 | General information related to the State of Uttar Pradesh | 20 | 20 |
| Total (2 hours / 120 minutes) | 100 | 100 | |
The paper is objective, multiple-choice type. Each question carries one mark; each wrong answer carries negative marking of 25 percent (one-fourth of the marks for that question). The sports section covers exercise physiology, sports psychology, sports training, sports biomechanics, sports nutrition and yoga, sports medicine, organisation and administration in sports, testing and measurement, digital learning and AI in sports, and federations, competitions, awards and rules.
Documents Required
- UPSSSC PET-2025 registration number and scorecard (photo and signature from PET-2025 are auto-filled and cannot be changed)
- Graduate degree certificate and mark sheets (for Deputy Sports Officer and Assistant Coach)
- Sports coaching diploma certificate from NIS / LNIPE or equivalent recognised institution
- Coaching experience certificate (2 years for Deputy Sports Officer and Assistant Coach)
- High School pass certificate — mandatory age proof for all posts
- Practical experience certificate (Groundsman / 3-year Lifeguard experience)
- Caste / category certificate (if claiming reservation); EWS certificate issued between 01-04-2026 and 04-11-2026 if applicable
- Domicile certificate of Uttar Pradesh (if applicable)
Upload documents in the format and file size specified in the official notification.
How to Apply
- Read the official notification carefully before filling the form.
- Visit the Commission’s website upsssc.gov.in and, on the homepage under the Live Advertisement Segment, open the advertisement for Sports Directorate Main Examination (PET-2025)/22.
- Log in using your PET-2025 registration number; an OTP is sent to the mobile number or email registered in PET-2025.
- Select the posts you want to apply for — a post not selected is not considered.
- For each selected post, declare whether you hold the required educational qualification and enter board/university, year of passing, certificate details and marks.
- Check the photo and signature auto-filled from PET-2025, declare any preferential qualification, and verify your address.
- Read the declaration, tick all checkboxes, enter the verification code and click “Save and Submit”.
- Pay the Rs. 25 processing fee by credit card, debit card, internet banking, UPI or SBI e-challan before 04 November 2026.
- Download and print the submitted application and keep a copy safe for document verification.
Interested candidates can read the full notification before applying.
Some Useful Important Links
| Apply Online | Click Here |
| Download Notification | Click Here |
| Official Website | Click Here |
FAQs
Q1. How many vacancies are there in UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026?
A. 108 vacancies — Deputy Sports Officer (50), Assistant Coach (37 across 12 sports), Lifeguard (18) and Groundsman (3) — under Advertisement No. 22-Examination/2026.
Q2. What is the last date to apply?
A. The last date to submit the online application and pay the fee is 04 November 2026; corrections and fee reconciliation are allowed until 11 November 2026.
Q3. Is PET-2025 mandatory for this recruitment?
A. Yes. Only candidates who appeared in UPSSSC PET-2025 and hold a valid PET-2025 scorecard can apply.
Q4. What is the application fee?
A. Rs. 25 online processing fee for all categories (the application fee itself is Rs. 0).
Q5. What is the age limit?
A. 18-40 years for Groundsman and Lifeguard, 21-40 years for Deputy Sports Officer and Assistant Coach, as on 01 July 2026, with relaxation as per UP Government rules.
Q6. What is the selection process?
A. Shortlisting on the normalized PET-2025 score, followed by a 100-question objective written examination (with 1/4 negative marking) and document verification.
Q7. What is the salary for these posts?
A. Deputy Sports Officer: Level-6 (Rs. 35,400-1,12,400); Assistant Coach: Level-5 (Rs. 29,200-92,300); Groundsman: Level-4 (Rs. 25,500-81,100); Lifeguard: Level-3 (Rs. 21,700-69,100).
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Sources: UPSSSC Advertisement No. 22-Examination/2026 dated 30 September 2026 (Sports Directorate Main Examination (PET-2025)/22); upsssc.gov.in.
We wish all candidates the best for their application.
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