UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026: PET-2025 Holders Can Apply for 108 Deputy Sports Officer, Assistant Coach, Life Guard & Groundsman Posts
Good news for sports lovers in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has released Advt. No. 22-Exam/2026 for 108 posts in the Directorate of Sports, U.P. The posts are Deputy Sports Officer, Assistant Coach in 12 sports, Life Guard and Groundsman. Pay goes up to Pay Level 6 (₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400). If you have been looking for government jobs in Uttar Pradesh that reward your coaching or ground skills, this one is made for you.
Online applications run from 14 October 2026 to 4 November 2026. One thing matters before anything else: only candidates who appeared in UPSSSC PET-2025 and got its scorecard can apply. You log in with your PET-2025 details, so there is no fresh registration. Below we explain posts, eligibility, salary, exam pattern and the rules that can cancel a form. Read it fully, and keep following GovtJobsAlert.in for every update on this recruitment.
Key Highlights of UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026
This recruitment is run by UPSSSC for the Khel Nideshalaya (Directorate of Sports), Uttar Pradesh. Selection goes through the Commission’s two-level system: PET-2025 first, then a separate written Main exam for these posts.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) |
| Department | Directorate of Sports, Uttar Pradesh |
| Advertisement No. | 22-Exam/2026 |
| Exam Name | Sports Directorate Main Exam (PET-2025)/22 |
| Total Vacancies | 108 |
| Posts | Deputy Sports Officer, Assistant Coach, Life Guard, Groundsman |
| Pay Range | Level 3 to Level 6 (₹21,700 – ₹1,12,400) |
| Who Can Apply | Only UPSSSC PET-2025 scorecard holders |
| Application Window | 14 October 2026 to 4 November 2026 |
| Job Location | Uttar Pradesh |
UPSSSC Sports Directorate Vacancy 2026: How Many Posts in Each Category?
The reservation split changes from post to post, so read the row for your own post and sport. The English post names are translations of the Hindi designations in the notification.
| Post | Category-wise Vacancies | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer | UR 17 / SC 10 / ST 1 / OBC 11 / EWS 5 | 44 |
| Deputy Sports Officer (Special Selection) | SC 3 / OBC 3 (no UR, no EWS) | 6 |
| Assistant Coach (Swimming) | UR 10 / SC 6 / OBC 6 / EWS 2 | 24 |
| Assistant Coach (Swimming) (Special Selection) | OBC 1 (no UR, no EWS) | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Hockey) | UR 1 / SC 1 | 2 |
| Assistant Coach (Cricket) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Football) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Shooting) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Weightlifting) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Fencing) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Wrestling) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Table Tennis) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Handball) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Wushu) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Lawn Tennis) | UR 1 | 1 |
| Life Guard | UR 7 / SC 3 / OBC 4 / EWS 1 | 15 |
| Life Guard (Special Selection) | OBC 3 (no UR, no EWS) | 3 |
| Groundsman | UR 1 / SC 1 | 2 |
| Groundsman (Special Selection) | OBC 1 (no UR, no EWS) | 1 |
| All posts | UR 46 / SC 24 / ST 1 / OBC 29 / EWS 8 | 108 |
Notice that 10 of the 11 coaching sports outside Swimming have only a UR seat (Hockey adds one SC seat), and the Special Selection rows have no UR or EWS seat at all. The only ST seat is in Deputy Sports Officer. The Commission also says the number of posts may increase or decrease.
So before you think about preparation, find your sport and your category in this table. If you are an OBC coach in Cricket, for example, there is no seat for your category in that sport, and you would compete only for the UR seat on merit. Swimming is the big opening, with 25 coaching seats across both rows.
Horizontal Reservation
These seats sit inside the 108, adjusted against each candidate’s own category.
| Post | Horizontal Seats |
|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer | Women 8 / Ex-Servicemen 2 / PwBD 1 (Low Vision) |
| Deputy Sports Officer (Special Selection) | Women 1 |
| Assistant Coach (Swimming) | Women 4 / Ex-Servicemen 1 |
| Life Guard | Women 3 |
| All other rows | Nil |
What is the Eligibility for UPSSSC Sports Directorate Posts 2026?
Educational Qualification and Experience
| Post | Essential Requirement |
|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer | Graduate from a recognised university + Diploma in Coaching in the relevant sport + 2 years’ coaching experience |
| Assistant Coach (each sport) | Graduate from a recognised university + Diploma in Coaching in that sport + 2 years’ coaching experience |
| Life Guard | High School (10th) from UP Board or equivalent + at least 3 years’ practical experience as a Life Guard |
| Groundsman | High School (10th) from UP Board or equivalent + practical experience of preparing and marking grounds / courts + knowledge of grass, flowers, seeds, sowing, transplanting and grafting |
The coaching diploma must be from NIS Patiala, Bangalore or Kolkata, LNIPE Thiruvananthapuram or Gwalior, or an institution the Government of India recognises as equivalent to NIS Patiala. The equivalence letter attached to the notification also names National Sports University, Imphal. So graduates need the right diploma too, while Life Guard and Groundsman are open to 10th pass candidates with real field experience.
| Post | Preferential Qualification (any one) |
|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer / Assistant Coach | 1 year organising sports competitions, Diploma / Certificate in Physical Education, 2 years in Territorial Army, or NCC ‘B’ certificate |
| Life Guard | 2 years in Territorial Army or NCC ‘B’ certificate |
| Groundsman | 2 years as Groundsman, 2 years in Territorial Army, or NCC ‘B’ certificate |
You must hold the essential qualification and certificates by 4 November 2026. Remember that a degree alone is not enough for the coaching posts: without the coaching diploma and two years of coaching work, the form will not survive document verification. Preferential qualifications only help when candidates are otherwise equal.
Age Limit
| Post | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer / Assistant Coach | 21 to 40 years |
| Life Guard / Groundsman | 18 to 40 years |
🎂 Not sure if you meet the age criteria? Use our free Age Calculator for Government Exams to find your exact age on the cut-off date and instantly check your eligibility — including any age relaxation you qualify for. →
Age is counted on 1 July of the advertisement year, which makes it 1 July 2026 here. Only the date of birth in your High School certificate is accepted.
| Category | Upper Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC, ST and other Govt-notified categories | As specified by the Government (years not stated in this advertisement) |
| UP State Government employees | 5 years |
| Already in Government service (DSO / Assistant Coach) | Equal to years of Government service |
| CM Fellowship researchers | As per the 2026 rules |
If you belong to more than one reserved category, you get only one relaxation, the most beneficial one.
What is the Salary for UPSSSC Sports Directorate Posts 2026?
| Post | Pay Level | Pay Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sports Officer | Level 6 | ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400 |
| Assistant Coach | Level 5 | ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 |
| Groundsman | Level 4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 |
| Life Guard | Level 3 | ₹21,700 – ₹69,100 |
These are Group C posts under the UP Government. The notification gives the pay matrix level only, so your final in-hand pay will depend on the allowances in force when you join. Some rows are permanent and some temporary, as shown in the notification. For a sportsperson, a Level 5 or Level 6 state post means a career in the field you already love.
What is the Selection Process for UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026?
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| PET-2025 score cut-off | Category-wise, 15 times the posts, on PET-2025 normalised score; all tied at the cut-off are included |
| Main written exam | Objective MCQ; this is the basis of selection |
| Document verification | Records checked and post preferences taken |
Candidates with a zero or negative PET-2025 absolute or normalised score will not be shortlisted. The exam date will be announced later on the Commission’s website.
| Part | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | History of India and National Movement | 4 |
| Part 1 | Geography of India and World | 4 |
| Part 1 | Economic and Social Development of India | 3 |
| Part 1 | Indian Polity and Constitution | 3 |
| Part 1 | General Science and Technology | 3 |
| Part 1 | Environment, Ecology and Disaster Management | 3 |
| Part 1 | Current Events | 5 |
| Part 1 | Sports-Related Information | 40 |
| Part 2 | Computer and IT | 15 |
| Part 3 | General Knowledge of Uttar Pradesh | 20 |
| Whole paper | 100 questions, 2 hours | 100 |
There is negative marking of one-fourth of the question’s marks for each wrong answer. The sports section carries 40 marks, so revise exercise physiology, sports psychology, training, biomechanics, nutrition and yoga, sports medicine, and federation rules. Check our syllabus page for preparation help.
How to Apply for UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026?
Keep your PET-2025 registration number and the mobile number or email you used for PET-2025 ready before you start.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the UPSSSC website (link in Essential Links) and find Advt. No. 22-Exam/2026 in the Live Advertisement segment |
| 2 | Log in with your PET-2025 Registration Number and the OTP sent to your PET-2025 mobile / email |
| 3 | Check the auto-filled details, photo and signature from PET-2025; these cannot be changed |
| 4 | Select every post you want and enter qualification and preferential qualification details |
| 5 | Accept the declaration, Save and Submit, then pay the ₹25 fee |
| 6 | After the fee is reconciled, the form submits by itself; download and print it |
If your fee shows Pending, use “Update Your Transaction ID by Double Verification” under the Applicant Segment. Applications sent any other way are rejected. Keep your EWS certificate and your caste or category certificate ready, because a claim without the right certificate is lost.
Please do not wait for the last day. An unreconciled fee means no printout. Until 11 November 2026 you can modify only your correspondence address, EWS or horizontal category, qualification details and marital status.
UPSSSC Sports Directorate Important Dates 2026: What is the Last Date to Apply Online?
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement Published | 30 September 2026 |
| Online Application Starts | 14 October 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply and Pay Fee | 4 November 2026 |
| Fee Reconciliation and Form Correction | Till 11 November 2026 |
| Main Exam Date | To be notified |
What is the Application Fee for UPSSSC Sports Directorate 2026?
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| UR, OBC, SC and ST | ₹25 (online processing fee only) |
| Freedom Fighter dependants, Ex-Servicemen, Women, PwBD, Outstanding Sportsperson | As per original category (₹25) |
Pay by credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI or SBI e-Challan. Candidates shortlisted for the Main exam must pay a separate Main exam fee before downloading the admit card. The notification does not state that amount yet.
Which Mistakes Can Cancel Your UPSSSC Sports Directorate Application?
Each line below comes from the notification’s instructions. Go through each one slowly before you pay.
| Condition | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| Last date | No application or fee is accepted after 4 November 2026 |
| Fee reconciliation | Without reconciliation there is no printout and the form does not auto-submit; no claim is accepted after the last date |
| Post selection | You have no claim for any post you did not select in the form |
| Wrong details | Missing date of birth, over-age, under-age, no essential qualification, or false information leads to cancellation |
| Later discovery | If you did not hold a required certificate, your candidature is cancelled at any stage |
| More than one form | Only the last submitted form counts; the rest are cancelled |
| Corrections | No change is possible after 11 November 2026 |
| PET-2025 status | Under Investigation or Provisional candidates may apply, subject to the inquiry result |
| Domicile | Reservation is only for UP domiciles; others are treated as Unreserved |
| Women’s caste certificate | Only a certificate from the father’s side is valid |
| EWS certificate | Must be issued between 1 April 2026 and 4 November 2026 |
| Ex-Servicemen | Must be released from service by 4 November 2026 |
| Government employees | Need a No Objection Certificate from the employer |
| Marriage | A man with more than one living wife, or a woman married to a man with a living wife, is ineligible unless the Governor exempts |
| False certificate | An appointment or benefit gained through a false certificate is cancelled, benefits derived are forfeited and action follows as per law |
| Unfair means | Candidature is cancelled and you can be debarred from future exams |
UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026 Essential Links
- Download Official Notification PDF (Advt. No. 22-Exam/2026)
- Visit UPSSSC Sports Directorate Official Website
- Official Notification Page for UPSSSC Sports Directorate Recruitment 2026 – 108 Posts
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram for Uttar Pradesh Govt Jobs
If you hold a PET-2025 scorecard and the right coaching diploma or field experience, do not let this chance pass. Check your post’s category row, apply between 14 October and 4 November 2026, and make sure your fee is reconciled by 11 November 2026. For more Uttar Pradesh government jobs, keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in.