UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026
Conducting body: UPSC · Official source: upsc.gov.in
India's premier examination for recruitment to IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and other All India Services and Central Services. Three-stage exam: Prelims, Mains, Interview.
Posts Offered
- IAS
- IPS
- IFS (Foreign)
- IRS
- IRTS
- IDAS
- IPoS
- ICAS
- 24+ other services
Eligibility
- Age limit
- 21 to 32 years
- Education
- Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university
- Age relaxation
- OBC +3 years, SC +5 years, ST +5 years
Salary and Pay Structure
- Basic Pay
- 56,100 (IAS/IPS entry level)
- Grade Pay
- 5,400
- Gross Monthly
- 1,00,000 - 1,50,000
- In Hand
- 80,000 - 1,20,000
- Perks
- DA,HRA (or Govt Accommodation),TA,Medical,Pension,LTC,Official Vehicle,Bungalow,Domestic Help Allowance,Children Education Allowance
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) Key Dates
- Exam: 24 May 2026 — UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2026
- Application: 22 Sept 2026 — UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Prelims 2027 — application closes
- Application: 06 Oct 2026 — UPSC Engineering Services Prelims 2027 — application closes
- Notification: 25 Nov 2026 — UPSC CISF AC (Executive) LDCE 2027 — notification
- Notification: 02 Dec 2026 — UPSC NDA & NA (I) 2027 — notification
- Notification: 02 Dec 2026 — UPSC CDS (I) 2027 — notification
- Application: 15 Dec 2026 — UPSC CISF AC (Executive) LDCE 2027 — application closes
- Application: 22 Dec 2026 — UPSC NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) 2027 — applications close
Practise for UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) in Battle Arena
Real-time quiz battles against other candidates, with XP, streaks and a leaderboard. Battle Arena is free practice that complements your UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) preparation — it does not replace syllabus study, mock tests or previous-year papers.
Latest UPSC Vacancies
- UPSC Assistant Legislative Counsel Recruitment 2026 – New Delhi – Apply Online — Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) · New Delhi · 8 Posts · Last date: 16 Oct 2026
- UPSC Law Officer Recruitment 2026 – Delhi – Apply Online — Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) · Land and Building Department, Delhi · 3 Posts · Last date: 16 Oct 2026
- UPSC Specialist Grade II (Cardiology) Recruitment 2026 – New Delhi – Apply Online — Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) · New Delhi · 1 Post · Last date: 16 Oct 2026
See all active government job notifications
In-depth Preparation Guides
- Mains Answer Writing Strategy — How to turn knowledge into marks in UPSC Mains — directives, structure, dimensions, examples, diagrams and a daily writing plan.
- Books & Resource Recommendations — A minimal, high-return UPSC book list: NCERTs, one standard book per subject, PYQs, current affairs and official government sources.
- Topic-wise Important Questions — A high-priority UPSC question bank across Prelims and Mains — high-frequency themes, practice questions, case studies and priority tiers.
- Marking System, Cut-offs & Attempts — How UPSC CSE marks, cut-offs, negative marking, attempts and rank actually work — and what your score targets should be.
- Subject-wise Preparation Strategy — How to prepare each UPSC subject — priority order, study sequences, integration of Prelims and Mains, and a 12-month roadmap.
- UPSC CSE Syllabus & Exam Pattern — Complete three-stage structure of UPSC CSE — Prelims, Mains and Interview — with paper-wise syllabus and marks breakdown.
Other Upsc Exams
- Combined Defence Services (CDS) — UPSC · age 19–25
- National Defence Academy (NDA) — UPSC · age 16.5–19.5
- Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) — UPSC · age 20–25
- Indian Engineering Services (IES/ESE) — UPSC · age 21–30
- Indian Forest Service (IFS) — UPSC · age 21–32
- UPSC EPFO (Enforcement/Accounts Officer) — UPSC · age 21–30
- Combined Medical Services (CMS) — UPSC · age 21–32
- Combined Geo-Scientist Examination — UPSC · age 21–32
- Naval Academy (10+2 Cadet Entry) — UPSC · age 16.5–19.5
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who conducts UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)?
- UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted by UPSC. The official portal is upsc.gov.in.
- What is the age limit for UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)?
- Candidates must generally be between 21 and 32 years. Reserved categories receive the relaxation published in the current notification.
- What qualification is required for UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)?
- Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university
- How do I apply for UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)?
- Applications are submitted only on the official UPSC portal (upsc.gov.in). This site links to the notification and tracks the vacancy, but never collects applications or fees.
Always verify notifications, dates, fees and eligibility on the official UPSC website before applying.