UPSC CSE Notification 2026: Vacancies, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Selection Process

UPSC | 04 Feb 2026

UPSC CSE Notification 2026: Vacancies, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Selection Process

The Union Public Service Commission has released the official Notification for the Recruitment of Various Posts. The total number of Posts for the UPSC Civil Service Exam 2026 is 933. The UPSC Civil Service Exam 2026 Notification has been released on 4 February 2026, and the online application will be accepted from 4 February 2026 to 24 February 2026. The eligible candidates can apply for the UPSC Civil Service Exam 2026 from the official Website.

👉 Click Here To Check The Official Notification

UPSC Notification 2026 Highlights

The selection of candidates for Civil Service Examinations is based on Prelims, Main Exam, and Interview. UPSC CSE 2026 Prelims Exam will be held in May 2026. The final merit list will be prepared by counting the marks scored in the UPSC Mains and Interview rounds.

UPSC CSE 2026-Highlights
Organisation	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Exam Name	Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 through CS(P) Examination, 2026
Exam Level	National
Vacancy	933
Exam Mode	Offline
Registration Dates	4th to 24th February 2026
Exam Stages	Prelims, Main Exam, Interview
Education Qualification	Graduate or relevant degree
Age Limit	21 to 32 years
Exam Frequency	Once a year
No. of Attempts	General- 6 attempts OBC- 9 attempts SC/ST- No restrictions
Official Website	www.upsc.gov.in

Important Dates

Apply Start Date	04 February 2026
Apply Last Date	24 February 2026
Exam Date	Notify Later

Application Fees

Gen/ OBC/ EWS	Rs. 100/-
SC/ ST/ Female	Rs. 100/-
Mode of Payment	Online

UPSC Vacancy 2026

933

UPSC Posts 2026

The most sought-after UPSC Posts 2026 are mentioned below:

Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
Indian Police Service (IPS)
Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
Indian Audit and Accounts Service
Indian Postal Service
Indian Information Service
Indian Defence Accounts Service
Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS)
Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS)

UPSC CSE Exam 2026 Eligibility

Eligibility for UPSC is one of the first questions that crops up in the mind of a CSE aspirant. The nationality, the number of attempts, the age limit, and the educational qualifications are some of the basic eligibility criteria for the UPSC IAS exam. All candidates must check the eligibility criteria before applying for the UPSC CSE Exam 2026 and ensure that they meet all the eligibility criteria as mentioned below.

UPSC IAS Nationality

For the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), a candidate must be a citizen of India. For all other services, a candidate can either be a citizen of India or

1. A citizen of Nepal/ Bhutan

2. A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, intending to permanently settle in India

3. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam, intending to permanently settle in India

Note: Candidates who are subjects of Nepal/ Bhutan or Tibetan refugees are not eligible to apply for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

UPSC IAS Age Limit

Candidates must be a minimum of 21 years and a maximum of 32 years of age. This means that candidates must have been born not earlier than 2nd August 1993 and not later than 1st August 2004.

Check UPSC CSE 2026 Age Relaxation in the table below:

Age Relaxation
Category	Age Relaxation
SC/ ST	5 Years
OBC	3 Years
Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area, and released as a consequence thereof	3 Years
Ex-servicemen, including commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs, who have rendered at least five years of military service	5 Years
PwD [(a) blindness and low vision; (b) deaf and hard of hearing; (c) locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy; (d) autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness; and (e) multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness]	10 Years

Note: No age relaxation is provided for the Economically Weaker Sections in the UPSC CSE Exam 2026.

UPSC IAS Educational Qualification

The candidate must have completed their Graduation from any of the Central or State Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University.

Number of Attempts

The number of attempts allowed for each candidate in the UPSC Exam is 6 for general category candidates. While the number of attempts is 9 for OBC Category Candidates. There is no restriction on the number of attempts for SC/ST Candidates. Candidates must notethat if they have appeared as many times as the number of attempts allowed in UPSC CSE Prelims, then they are no longer eligible for the UPSC IAS Exam.

UPSC Exam Pattern

Below, we’ve mentioned the UPSC Exam Pattern for the 2026 attempt:

UPSC Exam Pattern
Stage	Type of Exam	Details	Marks
Preliminary Exam	Objective Type (MCQs)	– Two Papers: General Studies (Paper I) and CSAT (Paper II) – Paper I counts for merit ranking – CSAT is qualifying (33% required) – Negative marking for wrong answers	Paper I – 200 marks Paper II – 200 marks (Qualifying)
Mains Exam	Descriptive Type (Written)	– Total 9 Papers: → 2 Qualifying Language Papers (English and Indian Language) → 1 Essay Paper → 4 General Studies Papers → 2 Optional Subject Papers – Tests analytical and writing skills	1750 marks
Interview (Personality Test)	Personal Interaction	– Conducted by UPSC Board – Assesses communication, confidence, leadership, and suitability for civil services	275 marks
Final Merit	—	Mains (1750) + Interview (275)	2025 marks

UPSC 2026 Syllabus

UPSC 2026 syllabus is very vast, and it covers subjects that range from history and geography to current affairs and ethics. It is divided into Prelims and Mains, followed by the Interview. Understanding this syllabus helps aspirants plan their study schedule effectively.

UPSC 2026 Prelims Syllabus

The UPSC 2026 Prelims have two papers: General Studies Paper I and CSAT Paper II. Both papers are objective type and held on the same day.

UPSC 2026 Prelims Syllabus
Paper	Subject Area	Topics Covered
Paper I – General Studies (200 marks)	General Awareness	Indian History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Environment, Ecology, Science, Current Affairs, and Government Schemes
Paper II – CSAT (200 marks)	Aptitude & Comprehension	Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, Data Interpretation, Decision-Making, Comprehension, and Basic Mathematics

Note:

Paper I marks are counted for merit.
Paper II is qualifying in nature (33% minimum required).

UPSC 2026 Mains Syllabus

The UPSC 2026 Mains is descriptive and includes nine papers. It tests analytical ability, expression, and understanding of diverse subjects.

UPSC 2026 Mains Syllabus
Paper Type	Paper Name	Marks	Nature of Paper
Qualifying Papers	Paper-A: Indian Language	300	Qualifying only
Qualifying Papers	Paper-B: English	300	Qualifying only
Compulsory Papers	Essay	250	Counted for merit
	General Studies Paper I	250	Indian Heritage, History, Geography, and Society
	General Studies Paper II	250	Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations
	General Studies Paper III	250	Economy, Agriculture, Science, Technology, Environment, and Disaster Management
	General Studies Paper IV	250	Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
Optional Subject	Paper I	250	Based on the candidate’s chosen optional subject
Optional Subject	Paper II	250	Based on the candidate’s chosen optional subject

UPSC Selection Process

UPSC 2026 selection process is conducted in three stages:

Preliminary Examination: Screening stage to shortlist candidates.
Mains Examination: Written descriptive test for shortlisted aspirants.
Interview: Final personality assessment by a UPSC board.

Only those who clear all stages are included in the final merit list. Marks obtained in UPSC 2026 Mains and UPSC 2026 Interview determine the candidate’s final rank.UPSC 2026

Interview

The interview date is not yet announced, but it will be held after the Mains results. In this last stage, candidates meet the UPSC interview board. The board asks questions to understand your personality, confidence, and communication skills. They check how you think, make decisions, and handle real-life situations. To do well, focus on speaking clearly, staying calm, and keeping yourself updated with current news and topics.

Steps to Fill the UPSC 2026 Application Form

Step 1: Visit the official website.

Step 2: Click on “Apply Online for Civil Services Examination 2026.”

Step 3: Complete registration with personal and academic details.

Step 4: Upload a scanned photograph, signature, and ID proof.

Step 5: Pay the application fee of? 100 (exempted for female and reserved category candidates).

Step 6: Submit and download the confirmation page for reference.

A short correction window will also be provided after the application period closes. Candidates must check all details carefully before submission.