UPSC Introduces 3 New Exam Centres, Kanpur, Meerut and Bhubaneswar

Following several recent reforms such as the release of provisional answer keys after the Preliminary Examination and improved accessibility measures for PwBD candidates, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has now introduced three new examination centres for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026.

3 New Exam Centres for UPSC Prelims 2026

This year, the Union Public Service Commission has received more than 8.19 lakh applications for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, making it one of the largest competitive examinations in the country. Therefore, the Commission has introduced three new examination centres to decongest existing centres and make the examination process more accessible and candidate-friendly. 

• The newly added centres are Kanpur, Meerut, and Bhubaneswar.
• With the addition of these centres, the total number of UPSC Prelims centres has increased from 80 to 83. 
• According to UPSC, nearly 23,000 candidates have opted for the new centres, helping reduce pressure on nearby centres such as Lucknow, Ghaziabad, and Cuttack.

Measures for PwBD Candidates

The UPSC has also strengthened support for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). Under a revised mechanism, PwBD candidates were ensured their preferred examination centres, even if additional capacity had to be created.

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New Feature in UPSC Application Form

The Commission also introduced a dropdown option in the application form, allowing aspirants to indicate their preferred nearby cities. UPSC said this data will help identify suitable locations for establishing additional examination centres in the future.

Source: PIB