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UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 – IAS, IPS, IFS and 20+ Central Services

Union Public Service Commission — Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel
📋 933 Vacancies 💰 Rs. 56,100 – Rs. 2,50,000 (Level 10–18, varies by service) 👁️ 36 views
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📅 Important Dates

Application Start Date 04 Feb 2026
Application End Date 27 Feb 2026
Exam Date 2026-05-24

📋 Vacancy & Pay Details

Total Vacancies 933
Category-wise Vacancies

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced 933 vacancies for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026. These posts cover some of the most prestigious positions in the Indian government, distributed across All India Services and Central Services.

Services included in this recruitment:

  • Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
  • Indian Police Service (IPS)
  • Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
  • Indian Revenue Service – IT and C&CE (IRS)
  • Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS)
  • Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS)
  • Indian Information Service (IIS)
  • 20+ other Group A and Group B Central Services
  • Total Vacancies: 933
  • Reserved for PwBD: 33 posts (VI, HI, LD/CP/LC/Dw, MD categories)
  • Category-wise breakup: Full details available in the official UPSC notification PDF at upsc.gov.in
Pay Scale Rs. 56,100 – Rs. 2,50,000 (Level 10–18, varies by service)
Location —
Department Union Public Service Commission
Ministry Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a university established by law in India. Equivalent qualifications recognised by the Central Government are also accepted.

  • Final-year students who have not yet received their degree can apply provisionally, provided they submit proof of qualifying before the prescribed cutoff date.
  • MBBS candidates who have appeared in their final professional examination but are yet to complete the internship may also apply provisionally.

Attempt Limits:

  • General / EWS: 6 attempts (up to age 32)
  • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 9 attempts (up to age 35)
  • SC / ST: Unlimited (within the age limit of 37 years)
  • PwBD – General / EWS: 9 attempts
  • PwBD – OBC: 9 attempts (up to age 45)
  • PwBD – SC / ST: Unlimited (up to age 47)
Age Limit 21 – 32 years
Age Relaxation

SC/ST: 5 years (max age 37) | OBC-NCL: 3 years (max age 35) | PwBD (General/EWS): 10 years | PwBD (OBC): 13 years | PwBD (SC/ST): 15 years | Ex-Servicemen: 5 years | J&K domicile (Jan 1980 – Dec 1989): 5 years | Defence Personnel disabled in operations: 3 years
Nationality Indian

💳 Application Fee

General / OBC ₹100
SC / ST / PH ₹0
Payment Mode Online – Net Banking, Debit/Credit Card, UPI

🏆 Selection Process

The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 follows a three-stage selection process. Each stage is eliminatory — only those who clear one stage are allowed to appear for the next.

  1. Preliminary Examination (Objective Screening): Two papers held on the same day — GS Paper I (200 marks) for shortlisting, and CSAT Paper II (200 marks) as a qualifying paper requiring 33% minimum. Only GS Paper I marks determine shortlisting to Mains. Negative marking of one-third applies.
  2. Main Examination (Descriptive, 9 Papers): Two qualifying language papers (Indian Language + English) and seven merit papers — Essay, General Studies I through IV, and Optional Subject Papers I and II. Total merit marks: 1,750. Conducted over 5 days.
  3. Personality Test / Interview: 275 marks. A structured interaction with the UPSC Board assessing intellectual curiosity, analytical thinking, ethical judgment, and leadership potential. No separate syllabus — the entire spectrum of knowledge is fair game.

Final Merit: Ranked on combined Main Examination + Personality Test score (total 2,025 marks). Preliminary marks are not included in the final merit.

📝 How to Apply

  1. Go to the official UPSC online application portal at upsconline.nic.in.
  2. Click on Online Application for Various Examinations of UPSC on the homepage.
  3. Select Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 from the list of currently active examinations.
  4. Complete Part I of the application: enter personal details, educational qualifications, optional subject selection, exam centre preferences, and contact information.
  5. Proceed to Part II: upload your recent passport-size photograph (JPEG, up to 300 KB) and scanned signature (JPEG, up to 300 KB) in the prescribed dimensions.
  6. Pay the application fee of Rs. 100 using SBI Net Banking or Debit/Credit Card — or pay cash at any SBI branch by generating a challan. Women candidates, SC/ST candidates, and PwBD candidates are fully exempted from the fee.
  7. Review all entered details carefully before final submission. Changes after submission are not permitted.
  8. Save and print the submitted application confirmation page along with your Registration ID for future reference.

📊 Exam Pattern

Prelims — Paper I (General Studies):

  • Questions: 100 | Marks: 200 | Duration: 2 hours
  • Topics: Indian History and National Movement, Indian and World Geography, Indian Polity and Governance, Economic and Social Development, Environment and Ecology, General Science, Current Events of National and International Importance
  • Negative Marking: 1/3 mark per wrong answer

Prelims — Paper II (CSAT — Qualifying):

  • Questions: 80 | Marks: 200 | Duration: 2 hours | Qualifying Marks: 66 (33%)
  • Topics: Reading Comprehension, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, Decision Making and Problem Solving, General Mental Ability, Basic Numeracy (Class X level)

Main Examination (9 Papers):

  • Paper A — Indian Language: 300 marks (Qualifying only)
  • Paper B — English: 300 marks (Qualifying only)
  • Paper I — Essay: 250 marks
  • Papers II–V — General Studies I, II, III, IV: 250 marks each (1,000 marks total)
  • Papers VI & VII — Optional Subject I and II: 250 marks each (500 marks total)
  • Total Merit Marks: 1,750

Personality Test: 275 marks | Venue: UPSC Bhavan, New Delhi

🔗 Important Links

Apply Online Apply Now →
Official Website 🌐 https://upsc.gov.in/

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

UPSC has announced 933 vacancies for the Civil Services Examination 2026. These cover posts in IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, IAAS, and 20+ other Group A and Group B Central Services. 33 vacancies are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 is scheduled for May 24, 2026. The Main Examination is scheduled to commence from August 21, 2026 and runs for 5 days.

General/EWS candidates get 6 attempts up to age 32. OBC-NCL candidates get 9 attempts up to age 35. SC/ST candidates can attempt unlimited times within the age limit of 37 years.

The application window for UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 closed on February 27, 2026 (extended from the original deadline of February 24, 2026). Applications were accepted at upsconline.nic.in.

A newly appointed IAS officer starts at Pay Level 10 with a basic pay of Rs. 56,100 per month. With House Rent Allowance, Dearness Allowance, and other perquisites, the gross salary ranges between Rs. 80,000 and Rs. 1,00,000+ per month depending on posting city.

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Quick Summary
Post Name
UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 – IAS, IPS, IFS and 20+ Central Services
Vacancies
933
Last Date
27 Feb 2026
Pay Scale
Rs. 56,100 – Rs. 2,50,000 (Level 10–18, varies by service)
Category
Central Govt
Status
Upcoming