Latest update — 6 October 2026
CSE 2026 Prelims was held on 24 May and its result was published on 15 June. Main papers took place on 21–23 and 29–30 August. The reviewed Main examination page has no written-result entry. The next calendar places CSE 2027 Prelims on 23 May.
UPSC CSE 2026 at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Examination | Civil Services Examination, 2026; includes IAS, IPS and other notified services |
| Notification | No. 05/2026-CSE, dated 4 February 2026 |
| Initial vacancies | Approximately 933, subject to revision; not a guaranteed final total |
| Application status | Closed; the exam page records 27 February 2026, 6:00 pm as the final receipt deadline |
| Selection | Preliminary screening, Main written examination and Interview/Personality Test |
What is new for the 2026–27 session?
The actual CSE 2026 notification was issued on 4 February and the examination page records 27 February as the final receipt deadline. These replace earlier calendar assumptions. The current application system uses a Universal Registration profile and an examination-specific form; completing a profile alone is not an examination application.
Notification PDF
Read the official UPSC CSE notification
Important dates
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Notification | 4 February 2026 |
| Final application deadline | 27 February 2026, 6 pm; closed |
| Prelims | 24 May 2026 |
| Prelims result | 15 June 2026 |
| Main papers | 21–23 and 29–30 August 2026 |
| Main result | No result entry on the Main page at this review |
Vacancies and posts
The notification estimates approximately 933 vacancies, subject to change, across IAS, IPS and other notified services. This is not a fixed IAS-only vacancy count. Service allocation also depends on rank, category, preferences, suitability and the applicable allocation rules.
Eligibility
Detailed guide: UPSC ESE 2027: Notification, 480 Vacancies, Exam Dates & Eligibility
Age limit and date-of-birth range
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| General age rule | Must have attained 21 years and must not have attained 32 years on 1 August 2026 |
| Unrelaxed birth-date range | 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2005, inclusive |
| SC/ST | Up to 5 years of upper-age relaxation |
| Eligible OBC | Up to 3 years |
| Eligible PwBD categories | Up to 10 years, subject to notification and service suitability |
| Defence and ex-servicemen provisions | Separate conditional concessions; use section 3(II), not a blanket extension for everyone |
Eligible SC/ST/OBC candidates who also fall under the specified ex-servicemen or PwBD provisions can receive the cumulative concessions described in the notification. EWS status alone does not provide a separate upper-age concession. The accepted birth date is the one recorded in the prescribed school certificate.
Educational qualification and final-year candidates
A recognised graduate degree or equivalent qualification is required. The notification permits candidates awaiting results, and candidates intending to appear in their qualifying examination, to enter the written examination subject to the stated conditions. Those called for Interview/Personality Test must provide valid proof of passing within the prescribed Rule 13 time limit. Do not assume that provisional admission waives the degree requirement.
Professional and technical qualifications recognised as equivalent are covered. MBBS and equivalent medical candidates have additional certificate and internship-completion conditions; read the specific note rather than applying an ordinary graduation checklist.
Nationality and service-specific restrictions
Indian citizenship is required for IAS, the Indian Foreign Service and IPS. For other services, the notification also recognises specified Nepalese, Bhutanese, Tibetan-refugee and person-of-Indian-origin categories, with Government of India eligibility-certificate conditions where applicable. Service-specific medical and physical requirements still apply.
Serving IAS/Indian Foreign Service officers and candidates already appointed or allocated to certain services face additional restrictions under section 3(V). A candidate who has already been selected should read that section in full before using the general attempt table.
Number of attempts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| General/EWS | 6 |
| OBC | 9 |
| SC/ST | Unlimited within applicable eligibility and age limits |
| PwBD: General/EWS/OBC | 9 |
| PwBD: SC/ST | Unlimited within applicable eligibility and age limits |
Actually appearing in even one Preliminary paper counts as an attempt. Merely submitting an application is not the same as appearing. Subsequent cancellation or disqualification does not erase an appearance.
Application process and fees
Applications use the UPSC portal linked from the examination page. Complete account creation, the Universal Registration profile, Common Application Form and the examination-specific form during the allowed window. Keep the application number and submitted copy. Follow the current live-photo, signature, identity and certificate instructions. Profile edits do not automatically change an already submitted examination form.
The 2026 application period is closed. The notification gives a ₹100 application fee, with female, SC, ST and PwBD candidates exempt. Follow the examination-specific instructions for any later qualified-candidate submission and applicable fee; do not assume the initial form completes every later stage.
Exam pattern
Detailed guide: UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2026: Prelims, Mains & Interview
Preliminary examination pattern
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| General Studies Paper I | 200 marks; 2 hours; objective questions; UPSC determines the qualifying cut-off |
| General Studies Paper II (CSAT) | 200 marks; 2 hours; objective questions; qualifying threshold 33% |
| Language | Question papers set in Hindi and English |
| Attendance | Both papers must be taken for evaluation |
A wrong answer attracts a deduction of one-third of the marks assigned to that question. Multiple answers are treated as wrong even if one is correct. An unanswered question has no penalty. The penalty is not a flat one-third mark for every question.
Main written examination pattern
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Paper A: selected Indian language | 300 marks; qualifying, subject to notified exemptions |
| Paper B: English | 300 marks; qualifying |
| Paper I: Essay | 250 marks; merit |
| Papers II–V: General Studies I–IV | 250 marks each; 1,000 total; merit |
| Papers VI–VII: one optional subject | 250 marks each; 500 total; merit |
| Written merit total | 1,750 marks from seven papers |
The papers are conventional written examinations. The published timetable assigns three hours to each paper. Paper A and Paper B require 25% each under the notification, where applicable. Their marks are excluded from ranking, but failing a required qualifying paper affects consideration of the merit papers.
Paper A exemptions cover candidates from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, and the specified hearing-impairment category subject to the required educational exemption and declaration. Do not treat the language paper as optional for all candidates.
Interview and final merit
The Interview/Personality Test carries 275 marks, with no minimum qualifying marks prescribed in the cited scheme. The final maximum is 2,025 marks: 1,750 written plus 275 interview. Preliminary and qualifying-language marks are not added. Service allocation depends on rank, preferences and the applicable eligibility and allocation rules.
Syllabus
Preliminary General Studies Paper I
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Current affairs | Events of national and international importance |
| History | Indian history and the national movement |
| Geography | Physical, social and economic geography of India and the world |
| Polity and governance | Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy and rights |
| Economic and social development | Sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics and social-sector initiatives |
| Environment | Ecology, biodiversity and climate change without subject specialisation |
| Science | General science |
CSAT: General Studies Paper II
The syllabus covers reading comprehension; interpersonal and communication skills; logical reasoning and analytical ability; decision-making and problem-solving; general mental ability; and Class X-level basic numeracy and data interpretation. Both Preliminary papers carry 200 marks and last two hours. CSAT requires 33%, and both papers must be attempted for evaluation.
Main syllabus: Essay and General Studies
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Essay | Develop relevant, organised and concise responses to the prescribed topics |
| General Studies I | Indian heritage and culture, history, world geography and society |
| General Studies II | Governance, Constitution, polity, social justice and international relations |
| General Studies III | Technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security and disaster management |
| General Studies IV | Ethics, integrity and aptitude, including application to situations and case studies |
Each of these five papers carries 250 marks. The official syllabus contains detailed subtopics: for example, GS II includes constitutional institutions and welfare issues, while GS III includes agriculture and internal security. Study the detailed entries rather than preparing only from the broad paper names.
Optional subject: two papers
Choose one optional subject from the notification’s list and prepare both papers, worth 250 marks each. The list includes humanities, sciences, engineering, professional subjects and specified literatures. The notification generally describes optional depth at honours-degree level, with engineering, medical science and law corresponding to bachelor-degree level. Check the actual syllabus before selecting an optional on the basis of someone else’s score.
Qualifying language papers
The Indian-language and English papers cover comprehension, precis, usage/vocabulary and short essays. The Indian-language paper also includes translation between that language and English. Each carries 300 marks and is qualifying; the applicable minimum is 25% in each. Paper A has limited notified exemptions. These marks do not increase final rank.
Selection process
Prelims is screening. Main merit papers contribute 1,750 marks and the Personality Test 275, for a final maximum of 2,025. Required qualifying papers must still be passed. Check each result against the correct stage; no 2026 final recommendation is inferred from a previous-cycle final list.
Salary
IAS entry basic pay is ₹56,100 in Level 10 under the cited IAS pay rules; other CSE services follow their applicable service rules. See the IAS salary guide for basic pay versus allowances and deductions.
Preparation resources, previous papers and cut-offs
UPSC official previous papers · CSE syllabus · eligibility · cut-off guide. Build a syllabus-to-paper checklist and continue CSAT practice alongside General Studies.
UPSC CSE 2027 planning
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Notification | 13 January 2027 |
| Application deadline | 2 February 2027 |
| Preliminary examination | 23 May 2027 |
| Main examination begins | 20 August 2027 |
The 2027 vacancy total, age cut-off and application conditions require the 2027 notification. Prepare from the latest published syllabus, then recheck it when the new notice is released.
Official sources
- Notification, section 3
- CSE Preliminary 2026: revised deadline and result documents
- CSE Main 2026: notices and official question papers
- CSE Main 2026 detailed timetable
- UPSC annual calendar 2027: tentative planning dates
Checked on 6 October 2026. Later official amendments take precedence. Preparation plans are GovtAdhikari editorial guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest official update?
CSE 2026 Prelims was held on 24 May and its result was published on 15 June. Main papers took place on 21–23 and 29–30 August. The reviewed Main examination page has no written-result entry. The next calendar places CSE 2027 Prelims on 23 May.
Are the 2027 dates guaranteed?
Published calendar dates are subject to change. Where a detailed notification has been issued, read it with any later amendment.
Can I reuse the previous cycle’s eligibility conditions?
Only as preparation context. The notification for your own examination/session determines eligibility and the application rules.