Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released an official notification for the Civil Services Examination 2026 for recruitment to various Group A and Group B services including Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Interested and eligible candidates can apply online through the official UPSC portal. The last date to submit the online application form is 24-02-2026.
The UPSC CSE Notification 2026 PDF has been released on the official website upsc.gov.in. It contains complete details about the Civil Services Exam, including vacancies, eligibility, exam dates, syllabus, application process, fees, and selection stages.
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Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination Recruitment 2026 Apply Online for 933 Civil Services Posts
UPSC Civil Service Exam Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Organization Name | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Name | Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 |
| Post Type | Group A & Group B Services |
| Total Vacancy Count | Approximately 933 Posts |
| Services Covered | IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, Indian Audit & Accounts, DANICS, DANIPS, and Other Central Services |
| Qualification | Graduate Degree (Any Discipline) |
| Age Limit | 21–32 Years (as on 01-08-2026) |
| Exam Stages | Preliminary, Main, Interview |
| Apply Online Start Date | 04/02/2026 |
| Apply Online Last Date | 24/02/2026 (6:00 PM) |
| Apply Mode | Online |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
UPSC CSE 2026 Important Dates
Notification Release: 4th February 2026Start of Online Application: 4th February 2026
Last Date to Apply: 24th February 2026 (by 6:00 PM)
Preliminary Exam Date: 24th May 2026
Main Exam Date (Expected): August 2026 (to be announced)
UPSC Civil Service Exam 2026 Vacancy
| Service Category | Post Type | Expected Vacancies |
| All India Services | IAS / IPS / IFS | Included in Total |
| Central Services Group A | IRS, Indian Railway Management, Indian Defence Accounts, Indian Postal Service, etc. | Included in Total |
| Central Services Group B | DANICS / DANIPS / AFHQ Civil Service / PONDICS | Included in Total |
| Total | All Services | 933 (Approx.) |
UPSC CSE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- Must have a graduation degree from a UGC-recognized university
- Degrees like BE, BTech, MBBS are valid
- Final-year MBBS students can apply provisionally
Age Limit (as on 1st August 2026)
Minimum age: 21 yearsMaximum age:
General: 32 years
OBC: 35 years
SC/ST: 37 years
PwBD: 42 years
Nationality
- Indian citizen is mandatory for IAS and IPS
- For other services, PIOs or refugees may apply with a government eligibility certificate
How to Apply Online for UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026
- Visit upsconline.nic.in or upsc.gov.in
- Register for One Time Registration (OTR)
- Log in and fill out the online application form
- Upload required documents
- Pay the application fee
- Submit the form before 24th February 2026
Application Fee
- For General / OBC / EWS : Rs. 100/-
- For SC / ST / PwBD / Women : Nil
Selection Process
- Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Objective)
- Civil Services Main Examination (Written)
- Interview / Personality Test
- Document Verification
UPSC CSE 2026 – Preliminary Examination Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Type | Marks | Duration |
| Paper I | General Studies (GS) | Objective (MCQs) | 200 Marks | 2 Hours |
| Paper II | CSAT (Aptitude Test) | Objective (MCQs) | 200 Marks | 2 Hours |
Prelims Key Rules
- Both papers are objective type (Multiple Choice Questions).
- Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature – minimum 33% marks required.
- Marks of Paper I are considered for cutoff and shortlisting for Mains.
- Negative marking applies: 1/3rd mark deducted for each wrong answer.
- Leaving a question blank carries no penalty.
UPSC CSE 2026 – Main Examination Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Nature |
| Paper A | Compulsory Indian Language | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper B | English | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper I | Essay | 250 | Merit |
| Paper II | General Studies I | 250 | Merit |
| Paper III | General Studies II | 250 | Merit |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 250 | Merit |
| Paper V | General Studies IV (Ethics) | 250 | Merit |
| Paper VI | Optional Subject – Paper 1 | 250 | Merit |
| Paper VII | Optional Subject – Paper 2 | 250 | Merit |
Main Exam Structure
Total Written Papers: 9
Qualifying Papers: 2 (Indian Language & English)
Merit Papers: 7
Total Marks (Written): 1750
Qualifying Papers: 2 (Indian Language & English)
Merit Papers: 7
Total Marks (Written): 1750
Interview / Personality Test
Final Merit Calculation
- Personality Test / Interview : 275
Final Merit Calculation
- Written Exam Marks: 1750
- Interview Marks: 275
- Total Merit Marks: 2025
Important Notes
- Prelims marks are used only for qualification, not for final ranking.
- Mains + Interview marks decide final service allocation.
- Negative marking applies in Prelims only.
- Candidates must qualify in both language papers to have their merit papers evaluated.
