PRAYAGRAJ, July 24 -- The Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) has approved a revised examination pattern for the recruitment of assistant professors in 330 government-aided degree colleges across the state, introducing negative marking for the first time and increasing the number of questions in the written test.

Now, candidates will have to answer 120 multiple-choice questions in two hours, compared to 100 questions earlier. The revised paper will comprise 90 subject-specific questions and 30 general studies questions. Each question will carry three marks, making the written examination worth 360 marks.

The most significant change is the introduction of negative marking. Candidates will lose one-third of the m...