UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026

The Union Public Service Commission issued revised Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE on 4 February 2026. Applications close on 24 February 2026. The Commission's programme calendar for 2026 lists an earlier notification and closing date for this examination; the revised notice supersedes them.

The examination consists of two successive stages. The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination selects candidates for the Main examination, and the Civil Services (Main) Examination, comprising a written examination and an interview, selects candidates for the services and posts.

The Preliminary examination is held on 24 May 2026. The Main examination begins on 21 August 2026 and runs for five days.

UPSC expects approximately 933 vacancies, including 33 reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disability. The Commission notes the final number may change once cadre controlling authorities confirm it.

A candidate must hold a graduate degree from a university incorporated by an Act of the central or a state legislature, or another institution recognised for this purpose.

A candidate must be at least 21 and under 32 years of age on 1 August 2026, that is, born not earlier than 2 August 1994 and not later than 1 August 2005. The notice sets out relaxations of the upper age limit for specified categories.

Every otherwise-eligible candidate is permitted six attempts. Candidates in the SC, ST, OBC and PwBD categories receive relaxation in the number of attempts, as set out in the notice.

The fee for the Preliminary examination is Rs. 100. Candidates admitted to the Main examination pay a further Rs. 200 during a ten-day window opened after the Preliminary result. Female candidates and candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Persons with Benchmark Disability categories are exempt from both.

The Preliminary examination has two objective papers carrying 400 marks in total. It is a screening test only, and its marks do not count towards the final merit order. UPSC admits about twelve to thirteen times the number of vacancies to the Main examination, drawing the qualifying list on a minimum of 33 per cent in General Studies Paper-II together with a Paper-I threshold it determines. Incorrect answers carry negative marking.

The Main examination counts seven papers for merit, each of 250 marks: an Essay paper, four General Studies papers, and two Optional Subject papers, giving a written total of 1,750 marks. The Personality Test carries a further 275 marks, with no minimum qualifying mark, for a grand total of 2,025 marks.

The syllabus, the list of optional subjects, examination centres, detailed eligibility conditions and application instructions are set out in full in the official notice on the UPSC website.