PRAYAGRAJ, June 9 -- The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) is set to launch another major recruitment drive through the Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination (PCS) 2026, raising hopes among lakhs of aspirants preparing for the state's most prestigious competitive examination. Even before the official notification is issued, the Commission has already received requisitions for more than 550 posts, indicating that the upcoming recruitment cycle could surpass the vacancy numbers seen in the past two years. Officials expect more departments to send their requisitions before the notification is released, which could significantly increase the total number of vacancies. The trend of rising vacancies after the notification stage has continued in recent years. In PCS 2024, the Commission had initially advertised 220 posts, but the number eventually rose to 947 by the time the preliminary examination results were declared. Similarly, for PCS 2025, the recruitment process began with 200 notified posts, which later increased to 920 before the prelims result announcement. Unlike the previous years, however, PCS 2026 is expected to begin with a much higher vacancy count itself. Sources said the notification may be issued with over double the number of posts compared to earlier initial advertisements, giving candidates a major boost even before the examination process begins. UPPSC secretary Girijesh Kumar Tyagi said efforts are being made to release the PCS 2026 notification within this month. Usually, the notification is issued in January or February, but this year's schedule was delayed due to the government's decision to provide age relaxation and weightage marks to candidates with experience under the Chief Minister Fellowship Scheme. With the possibility of vacancies increasing further during the recruitment cycle, candidates are viewing PCS 2026 as a rare opportunity for large-scale government recruitment in Uttar Pradesh....