UPSC 2026 Exam Date, Vacancy, Eligibility, Notification

The Union Public Service Commission will officially release the UPSC 2026 Notification on 14 January 2026, via its website (upsc.gov.in / upsconline.nic.in). Alongside the notification, the online application portal will open for candidates to register and submit their details. This notification includes crucial information like exam dates, eligibility criteria, vacancies, application fee, and exam pattern. Aspirants should prepare documents and photograph/scanned signatures for smooth online registration.

UPSC Notification 2026

The UPSC Exam 2026 for Prelims is scheduled to be held on May 24, 2026. This highly anticipated competitive exam is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit candidates for various posts in the Government of India. With focused preparation, discipline, and determination, candidates can successfully qualify the UPSC CSE Exam 2026. The following articles provide information on the UPSC 2026 Notification.

UPSC 2026 Overview

The UPSC CSE 2026 is the annual national-level exam to recruit officers for Group A and B services, including IAS, IPS, IRS, and others. This year’s process involves three stages: Prelims (objective), Mains (descriptive), and Personality Test (interview). The UPSC Selection Process 2026 is highly competitive, with lakhs of aspirants appearing for the UPSC Vacancy 2025 released. UPSC conducts the Prelims, Mains, and Interview in both English and Hindi, ensuring bilingual convenience.

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UPSC Exam Date 2026

UPSC has released the UPSC Prelims Exam Date as 24 May 2026. The UPSC Mains Exam 2025 is scheduled for 21 August 2026. Date sheets for admit cards and result declarations will follow shortly after the notification release. The Commission also provides an application correction window usually a week after the application closes which helps candidates rectify minor errors. Interview dates are typically announced a few months post-Mains. Aspirants should adhere strictly to the official schedule to avoid missing deadlines.

UPSC Posts 2026

Through UPSC CSE 2026, candidates can apply for services like IAS, IPS, IRS (Income Tax & Customs), IFS, IDAS, IRPS, and Group B services such as DANICS, DANIPS, PONDICS, etc. Candidates must indicate their preference at the time of application. These services cover wide-ranging domains including administration, diplomacy, law enforcement, finance, railways, postal services, and more. Allocations are made based on rank, preferences, and reservation policies.

1. Indian Administrative Service
2. Indian Foreign Service
3. Indian Police Service
4. Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
5. Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
6. Indian Corporate Law Service, Group ‘A’
7. Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’
8. Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’
9. Indian Information Service, Group ‘A’
10. Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’
11. Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘A’
12. Indian Railway Protection Force Service, Group ‘A’ \
13. Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) Group ‘A’
14. Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Group ‘A’
15. Indian Trade Service, Group ‘A’ (Grade III)
16. Indian Railway Management Service, Group ‘A’
17. Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade)
18. Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS), Group ‘B’
19. Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS), Group ‘B’
20. Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS), Group ‘B’
21. Pondicherry Police Service (PONDIPS), Group ‘B’

UPSC Notification 2026 PDF

The official UPSC Notification 2026 PDF will be available for download on 14 January 2026 at @upsc.gov.in This document will include complete details eligibility criteria, list of services, reservation categories, exam dates, syllabus, exam centres, fee details, instruction manual, and application guidelines. Aspirants must thoroughly read the notification and download a copy for reference throughout the process.

UPSC Vacancy 2026

The exact number of UPSC Vacancy 2026 for each service will be announced within the UPSC Notification 2026 PDF on 14 January 2026. While the total count may vary annually, Reservation is applicable as per Central Government guidelines (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD).

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026

To apply for UPSC CSE 2026, candidates must be fulfill the below mentioned UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026:

1. Be Indian citizens (or hold eligible nationality as per official criteria).
2. Be aged between 21 and 32 years as of 1 August 2026 (relaxation available for reserved categories).
3. Hold a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university (final-year students may apply provisionally).
4. Meet the maximum attempt limit: 6 for General, 9 for OBC, Unlimited for SC/ST, and relaxations for PwBD categories.
5. Have no more than the permissible number of chances and satisfy age/educational criteria as on 1 August 2026. 

UPSC Exam Pattern 2026

The UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 includes Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test (Interview). Each stage is designed to test different skill sets such as factual knowledge, analytical thinking, writing ability, and personality traits. The Prelims act as a screening test, the Mains is a detailed written exam, and the Interview assesses the candidate’s suitability for a career in civil services. The detailed UPSC Exam Pattern 2026 is provided below in the table:

UPSC Selection Process 2026

The UPSC Selection Process 2026 involves three-stages which are discussed below:

• UPSC Prelims Exam 2026 - marks are not counted in final merit.
• UPSC Mains Exam 2026 - evaluated across descriptive papers.
• UPSC Interview 2026 - final stage.
  • Marking-combined (Mains + Interview).
  • Merit List-based on aggregate marks and category reservation.
  • Candidates must clear each stage to be considered for final selection. Prelims eligibility cutoff – Mains – Interview – Final Merit.

UPSC Exam Centre 2026

Candidates can choose three preferences while registering for UPSC Exam Centre 2026. Cities range from metropolitan hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai to smaller ones like Bhopal, Raipur, or Dehradun. Centre allotment is based on preference and seat availability. Admit cards will display finalised centres.

UPSC Admit Card 2026

UPSC Admit Card 2026 will be issued one week before the exam, through upsconline.nic.in/login. Download requires registration ID and password. Admit cards will include a candidate's photo, exam centre, shift timing, and instructions. Mains admit cards will follow Prelims results. Candidates must carry the hall ticket along with a valid photo ID. Any discrepancy must be reported to UPSC immediately.

UPSC Answer Key 2026

UPSC releases UPSC Answer Key 2026 for the Prelims exam after the completion of the UPSC Selection Process 2026, but this year due to recent Supreme Court Judgement, UPSC might release the answer key after the Prelims exam at upsc.gov.in. Candidates can estimate marks and predict qualifications. UPSC does not provide answer keys for Mains.

UPSC Cut Off 2026

UPSC Cut Off 2026 varies each stage and by category. Mains cut-offs depend on competition and vacancy. Final merit list is based on highest cumulative marks in Mains + Interview. Categorywise cut-offs are openly published post-final results by UPSC.