UPSC Notification 2026 Officially Released- Check Eligibility, Registration Process and Exam Dates

The Union Public Service Commission will officially release the UPSC civil services notification 2026 on 14 January 2026 at @upsc.gov.in. The UPSC latest notification 2026 will include crucial information related to UPSC CSE Exam dates, Eligibility criteria, Vacancies, Exam pattern and Application fees. The online portal will start accepting registrations from aspirants, and they’ll need to submit their details for appearing in the UPSC exam. They must submit authentic documents, a photograph and scanned signatures for a hassle-free examination process.

The UPSC Civil Services Notification 2026 is expected to release on January 14, 2026 (Wednesday), as per the official UPSC calendar released in 15th May 2025; applications will open the same day, closing around February 4, 2026, with confirmed date for the UPSC prelims exam is May 24, 2026, and UPSC mains exam starting around August 21, 2026, so aspirants should visit upsc.gov.in for exact details and updates on UPSC vacancy. Download PDF

Latest UPSC Notification 2026 (Officially Announced)

As per official UPSC prelims notification, the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam will start from May 24, 2026 (Sunday). The exam is conducted every year to select aspirants for top government posts, and with proper planning and regular study, aspirants can clear it successfully. The registration for UPSC Prelims 2026 will begin just after the UPSC civil services notification will be released on 14 January 2026 and aspirants will have to submit all relevant documents within the given deadline.

UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) 2026 Details

UPSC Civil Service exam is a national-level exam held every year to select officers for top government services like IAS, IPS and IFS. The UPSC civil service selection process has three stages: Prelims, Mains and the Interview. According to the Union Public Service Commission news, lakhs of aspirants apply each year based on vacancies. UPSC conducts the exam in all languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution to make it easier for aspirants from different backgrounds. Let’s take a look at the UPSC civil service examinations 2026 details.

UPSC Calendar 2026

The UPSC Calendar 2026 was officially released on 15th May 2025 by the commission. Candidates can download the official annual UPSC calendar 2026 PDF from the official website. The UPSC registration for Prelims will begin on 14 January 2024, and the last date for UPSC Prelims registration will be 3rd February 2026. As per the latest UPSC exam notification 2026, UPSC prelims is scheduled on 24 May 2026. Registrations for UPSC DAF-l will begin shortly after the Prelims. The exam date for UPSC Mains 2026 is scheduled on 21 August 2026 (Friday). Let’s take a look at the UPSC Calendar 2026.

UPSC Exam Centre 2026

The official UPSC exam centres 2026 will be announced shortly. The UPSC exam centers are numerous cities across India for Prelims (around 80) and fewer for Mains (around 40), including major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and smaller cities like Dehradun, Raipur, Patna, and Jaipur. Aspirants are allowed to choose three preferences during UPSC registration, with final allotment depending on availability. The exam centres for Prelims and Mains are always listed in the official calendar of UPSC and registration forms. Therefore, aspirants must select exam centres as per the UPSC Civil Services notification.

UPSC Admit Card 2026

The admit cards for the 2026 Civil Services Examinations are not yet available.
However, as per the UPSC latest notification 2026, the UPSC prelims exam 2026 is scheduled on May 24 2026 (Sunday), and the UPSC Prelims Admit Card 2026 is expected to be released 2-3 weeks before the UPSC CSE Prelims exam. The same process will take place for the Mains exam.

UPSC Vacancy 2026

UPSC vacancy details for 2026, especially for the civil services exam, are not yet fully released but are expected to be around 900-1100 posts, covering services like IAS, IPS, and IFS. The UPSC vacancy 2026 will be announced once the official UPSC notification is released on 14 January 2026. The number of UPSC latest vacancies changes every year, but reservations are applicable as per the guidelines of the Central Government for all categories such as SC,ST,OBC,EWS and PwBD. In 2025, approximately 979 UPSC vacancies were announced for various civil services like IAS, IPS, and IFS, with 38 reserved for PwBD candidates and 150 for the Indian Forest Service.

UPSC Online Registration Process 2026

Aspirants can apply for UPSC civil service examinations 2026 by visiting the official website (upsc.gov.in) once the application process begins on 14 January 2026. The UPSC Online Registration starts from 14 January 2026, and the UPSC last date to apply is 3 February 2026. To UPSC online registration, aspirants need to fill in the online form, upload the required documents and submit them before the deadline. A short window will be open for error correction, but aspirants should make sure they upload everything accurately in the first time. The entire UPSC CSE Registration process is online; applicants should carefully follow all the instructions to avoid making mistakes. Let’s take a look at the UPSC Online Registration Process 2026: -

1. Open the Official Website of UPSC

The UPSC online registration will always happen on the official website of UPSC. Aspirants should go to upsc.gov.in or upsconline.nic.in to start the registration process. They should make sure that they have a stable internet connection to finish the upsc registration process smoothly.

2. Start Part l of UPSC Registration

After opening the official UPSC website, click on the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination link for Part-I registration. Aspirants should ensure that they have accurate personal details and relevant documents to avoid mistakes.

3. Enter Personal Details

Aspirants must provide accurate details like name, DOB, address, contact info and educational qualifications. The information on all of these documents should align and match to avoid complications later. As per the UPSC notification 2026, any mismatch can lead to disqualification.

4. Proceed to Part ll of UPSC Registration

After Part-I, proceed to Part-II of the UPSC registration process. Aspirants should make sure to arrange all information and cross-check everything before submitting.

5. Upload Documents and Pay Fees

Aspirants will be asked to upload scanned photographs, signature and valid photo ID in the specified format. After this, they will have to pay the UPSC application fee online through the suggested online payment methods.

6. Select Exam Centre

UPSC has many major and small cities in their UPSC exam centre list. So, aspirants can conveniently choose their preferred examination centers. They will be allowed to select a maximum of three UPSC exam centres.

7. Review and Submit

Before finally submitting the UPSC registration form, aspirants should carefully review all entered information and submit the form. They should download the confirmation page and keep it for further use.

UPSC Application Form 2026: Last Date to Apply

For the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2026, the application period starts from January 14th, 2026, to February 3rd, 2026. However, other UPSC exams like Engineering Services (Prelims) 2026 closed earlier (Oct 16, 2025), so aspirants should always check the specific notification for each exam on the official UPSC website.

Documents Required for UPSC Registration 2026

For the UPSC Registration 2026, aspirants will need a recent passport-size photograph,their scanned signature, and a valid Photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, Passport). Additionally, they will need educational certificates and category/PWD certificates, all in specified JPG/PDF formats and sizes according to the UPSC exam notification 2026.

UPSC Application Fee 2026

For the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2026, the application fee is ₹100 for General, EWS, and OBC candidates, while SC, ST, PwBD, and all female candidates (regardless of category) are exempt from fees. Accepted payment methods are Online (Debit/Credit Card, Net Banking) or Offline (SBI Challan).

List of UPSC All Posts 2026

The UPSC Civil Services Exam will be conducted to recruit aspirants for prestigious roles such as IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and various Group 'A' & 'B' services. The official UPSC CSE notification is expected on January 14, 2026. Aspirants can apply online for the exam, and allocation of service will depend on an aspirant’s rank, preferences and reservations with over 24 services available. Let’s take a look at the list of UPSC all posts for 2026.

UPSC Post: All Indian Services

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
• Indian Foreign Service (IPS)
• Indian Police Service (IRS)

UPSC Post: Group A Services

• Indian Audit and Accounts Service
• Indian Civil Accounts Service
• Indian Corporate Law Service
• Indian Defence Accounts Service
• Indian Defence Estates Service
• Indian Information Service
• Indian Postal Service
• Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service
• Indian Railway Protection Force Service
• Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes)
• Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax)
• Indian Trade Service
• Indian Railway Management Service

UPSC Post: Group B Services

• Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
• DANICS (Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, etc. Civil Service)
• DANIPS (Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, etc. Police Service)
• Pondicherry Civil & Police Services (PONDICS/PONDIPS)

UPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026

To appear in the UPSC Civil Service Exam, you need Indian citizenship (or approved nationality), and hold a Bachelor's degree from a recognized university, and must be age 21-32 years old (with relaxations for reserved categories) and meet specific attempt limits (6 for General, 9 for OBC, unlimited for SC/ST), with relaxations for reserved categories, all as of August 1st, 2026. Final year students can apply but must pass before the UPSC Mains exam. Let’s take a look at the UPSC eligibility criteria 2026.

UPSC Exam Pattern 2026

The UPSC Civil Services Exam has a three-stage pattern: Prelims (Objective), Mains (Descriptive), and Personality Test (Interview). Prelims test general knowledge (GS) and aptitude (CSAT) with objective questions. UPSC Mains involves nine descriptive papers, including qualifying language papers and scored essays, General Studies, and Optional subjects. The final Interview assesses personality, with marks from the mains and Interview deciding the final ranking. The changes in the UPSC Exam Pattern for 2026 will be disclosed once the UPSC exam notification 2026 is released.

However, it has remained the same over the years. It will have three stages, which are Prelims, Mains and Personality Test. The UPSC exam pattern largely has stayed consistent over the years. Prelims have two 200-mark papers (GS & CSAT). Mains include nine papers, which consist of 1750 marks (GS and Optional). The final interview is worth 275 marks, making a total of 2025 for the final ranking. Let’s take a look at the UPSC Exam Pattern 2026.

UPSC Preliminary Examination

The UPSC Preliminary examination has two papers. UPSC Prelims Paper I, called General Studies, consists of 100 multiple-choice questions carrying a total of 200 marks. The duration of the UPSC prelims paper is 2 hours, and there is negative marking, with one-third of the marks deducted for each wrong answer. UPSC Prelims Paper II, known as CSAT, has 80 multiple-choice questions based on comprehension, reasoning, and mathematics. It is also for 200 marks and lasts 2 hours, but it is only qualifying in nature, which means that aspirants need to score at least 33% to pass it.

UPSC Main Examination

The UPSC Mains exam includes qualifying and merit papers. UPSC Mains has two qualifying papers, Paper A and Paper B, which are based on an Indian language that aspirants can choose and English. Each of these papers carries 300 marks and aspirants must score at least 25% to qualify. Also, UPSC Mains has seven merit papers that are counted for ranking. These include one Essay paper worth 250 marks, four General Studies papers carrying 250 marks each and two papers of an Optional Subject, Paper I and Paper II, together carrying a total of 500 marks.

UPSC Selection Process 2026

The UPSC civil service examinations are conducted to select aspirants for prestigious government jobs. This UPSC selection process includes Prelims, which acts as a screening objective test, Mains, which is a comprehensive written exam and a Personality Test where aspirants are evaluated through an interview setup. Aspirants must clear the UPSC prelims exam to sit for the Mains and then clear the Mains to appear for the UPSC Interview. Final merit is based on Mains (1750 marks) and Interview (275 marks), with Prelims being qualifying. Let’s take a look at the UPSC selection process 2026.

Stage l: Prelims

The UPSC Preliminary Exam is conducted to shortlist aspirants for the Mains stage. Marks of the UPSC prelims exam are not added to the final merit list. The UPSC prelims acts as a screening test and evaluates an aspirant’s basic knowledge of all subjects relevant from the UPSC perspective.

Stage ll: Mains

The UPSC mains exam is designed to assess an aspirant’s in-depth knowledge and analytical ability. Aspirants are expected to display their intellect through writing quality essays on topics related to technology, polity, personal experiences and ongoing events. The Mains exam evaluates an aspirant’s ability to solve public administration problems and knowledge to handle day-to-day tasks through questions on subjects such as Economy, Polity, Science and History.

Final Stage: Personality Test

In the Personality Test selection process, aspirants are assessed to understand their mental ability, social skills and overall suitability for a career in public administration. This evaluation focuses on how an aspirant thinks, behaves and interacts with the public in real-life situations. The UPSC personality test carries 275 marks, which are added to the Mains examination score to determine the aspirant’s final rank. The final rank determines what service an aspirant will be allotted after getting shortlisted.

Conclusion

As per the UPSC exam notification 2026, the dates for Prelims and Mains have been released. However, all relevant information related to UPSC exam dates, vacancies, exam pattern, eligibility criteria, admit card and exam centres will be disclosed once the UPSC civil services notification is released on 14 January 2026. The process of UPSC registration will begin on the same day and will last till 3 February 2026. UPSC conducts civil service examinations every year to recruit aspirants for prestigious roles such as IAS, IFS, and IPS. Any changes in the exam pattern and eligibility criteria will be disclosed as per the UPSC notification, but it has remained the same in recent years. Aspirants should be prepared to finish the registration process within the deadline and check whether they fit into the eligibility criteria before applying.