UP APO 2026: Syllabus, Previous Year Papers & Bare Acts

Exam pattern and stages

1. Preliminary examination (objective): One objective paper of 150 questions and 150 marks in 2 hours (50 questions General Knowledge, 100 questions Law); it screens candidates for the main examination.

   Paper	Questions	Marks	Duration
   General Knowledge and Law Part I 50 GK questions; Part II 100 Law questions; one-third negative marking; fifteen times the number of vacancies qualify for the main examination	150	150	2 hours

2. Main examination (written): Six written papers of 500 marks in total; the General English and General Knowledge papers last one and a half hours and all other papers three hours.

   Paper	Questions	Marks	Duration
   General Hindi High School standard		100	3 hours
   General English High School standard		50	1.5 hours
   General Knowledge syllabus identical to the preliminary examination		50	1.5 hours
   Criminal Law and Procedure		100	3 hours
   Shakshya Adhiniyam		100	3 hours
   Anya Adhiniyam (Other Acts)		100	3 hours

3. Personality test (interview): Interview of 50 marks judging efficiency, character, personality and physical fitness; three times the number of vacancies are called.

   Paper	Questions	Marks	Duration
   Personality test		50

Syllabus

Paper by paper, as the official syllabus lists it.

Preliminary examination: Part I General Knowledge (50 questions)

• General Science (8)
• Current events of national and international importance (10)
• History of India (8)
• Indian National Movement (8)
• Indian Polity and Economy (8)
• World Geography and Population (8)

Preliminary examination: Part II Law (100 questions)

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (30) · Read the act
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (20) · Read the act
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (25) · Read the act
• U.P. Police Act and Regulations (15)
• Indian Constitution (10)

Main examination: papers

• General Hindi (100 marks)
• General English (50 marks)
• General Knowledge (50 marks)
• Criminal Law and Procedure (100 marks)
• Shakshya Adhiniyam (100 marks)
• Anya Adhiniyam: sixteen other Acts (100 marks); the Act names are printed in Hindi and are not legible in the extract

Bare Acts for this exam

24 acts tagged for UP APO. Each opens section by section, free to read.

Central acts

• Arms Act, 1959
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
• Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
• Constitution of India
• Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
• Essential Commodities Act, 1955
• Explosives Act, 1884
• Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025
• Indian Evidence Act, 1872
• Indian Penal Code, 1860
• Information Technology Act, 2000
• Police Act, 1861
• Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
• Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984
• Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
• Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
• Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967

Uttar Pradesh acts

• U. P. Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955
• Uttar Pradesh Control of Goondas Act, 1970
• UTTAR PRADESH GANGSTERS AND ANTI-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES (PREVENTION) ACT, 1986
• Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021
• Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024

Old law → new law tables: IPC → BNS · CrPC → BNSS · Evidence Act → BSA

Previous year papers

4 prelims papers, 2015 to 2026. All UP APO papers by year

2026

• UP APO Prelims 2026 150 questions · attempt online

2022

• UP APO Prelims 2022 150 questions · attempt online

2020

• UP APO Prelims 2020 150 questions · attempt online

2015

• UP APO Prelims 2015 146 questions · attempt online

Eligibility

Law degree from a recognised university, held by the last date for receipt of applications. Preference, other things being equal, to candidates with two years' service in the Territorial Army or the NCC 'B' certificate. 21 to 40 years on 1 July 2025 per the 2025 advertisement; upper limit 5 years higher for SC/ST/OBC of U.P., skilled players of U.P. and U.P. state government employees, 15 years higher for physically handicapped persons of U.P. (maximum age 55 for PH), and further relaxation for ex-servicemen / emergency commissioned officers. Group B Gazetted post; pay scale Rs. 47,600 - 1,51,100 (Level 8) Minimum efficiency standard: 35% for SC/ST and 40% for other categories in the preliminary / main examination Application fee for the preliminary examination: Rs. 125 for UR/EWS/OBC, Rs. 65 for SC/ST and ex-servicemen, Rs. 25 for persons with disabilities (online processing fee included)

Relaxations, attempts and category rules are in each cycle's notification.

UP APO: frequently asked questions

What is the pattern of the UP APO exam?

Uttar Pradesh Assistant Prosecution Officer (APO) Examination has 3 stages. Preliminary examination (objective): One objective paper of 150 questions and 150 marks in 2 hours (50 questions General Knowledge, 100 questions Law); it screens candidates for the main examination. Papers: General Knowledge and Law: 150 questions, 150 marks, 2 hours. Main examination (written): Six written papers of 500 marks in total; the General English and General Knowledge papers last one and a half hours and all other papers three hours. Papers: General Hindi: 100 marks, 3 hours; General English: 50 marks, 1.5 hours; General Knowledge: 50 marks, 1.5 hours; Criminal Law and Procedure: 100 marks, 3 hours; Shakshya Adhiniyam: 100 marks, 3 hours; Anya Adhiniyam (Other Acts): 100 marks, 3 hours. Personality test (interview): Interview of 50 marks judging efficiency, character, personality and physical fitness; three times the number of vacancies are called. Papers: Personality test: 50 marks.

Is there negative marking in UP APO?

Preliminary examination: one-third (0.33) of the marks of a question is deducted for each wrong answer; multiple answers count as wrong; no penalty for an unanswered question.

Who is eligible for UP APO?

Law degree from a recognised university, held by the last date for receipt of applications. Preference, other things being equal, to candidates with two years' service in the Territorial Army or the NCC 'B' certificate. 21 to 40 years on 1 July 2025 per the 2025 advertisement; upper limit 5 years higher for SC/ST/OBC of U.P., skilled players of U.P. and U.P. state government employees, 15 years higher for physically handicapped persons of U.P. (maximum age 55 for PH), and further relaxation for ex-servicemen / emergency commissioned officers. Group B Gazetted post; pay scale Rs. 47,600 - 1,51,100 (Level 8) Minimum efficiency standard: 35% for SC/ST and 40% for other categories in the preliminary / main examination Application fee for the preliminary examination: Rs. 125 for UR/EWS/OBC, Rs. 65 for SC/ST and ex-servicemen, Rs. 25 for persons with disabilities (online processing fee included) The notification for each cycle has the full conditions and relaxations.

Where is the UP APO notification published?

Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), Prayagraj publishes the notification, dates and results on its official website, uppsc.up.nic.in. Check it for the current cycle.

Which bare acts are in the UP APO syllabus?

24 acts are tagged for UP APO here, including the Arms Act, 1959, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Constitution of India, Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and more. Each can be read section by section.

Which UP APO previous year papers are available?

4 papers from 2015 to 2026: 4 prelims papers to attempt online with answers.