Administrative Delay : UPSC Pauses CSE and IFS 2026 Notification Release

The official UPSC CSE 2026 Notification was released on February 4, 2026, marking the beginning of the application process for one of India’s most prestigious examinations. This release comes after a delay from the original January 14 schedule. For 2026, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced a total of 933 vacancies across various services including the IAS, IPS, and IFS.

Exam Dates & Registration

Exam Stage	Date
Notification & Application Start	February 4, 2026
Application Deadline	February 24, 2026 (Tentative)
UPSC Prelims Exam 2026	May 24, 2026 (Sunday)
UPSC Mains Exam 2026	August 21, 2026 onwards (5 days)
Personality Test (Interview)	February – March 2027
Final Result Declaration	April 2027

Registration Process

Applications must be submitted online through the Official UPSC Application Portal.

● One-Time Registration (OTR) : You must first complete the OTR profile on the portal. This profile is permanent and saves your basic details for future applications.

● Two-Part Application :

○ Part I : Involves filling in basic personal, educational, and contact details.

○ Part II : Requires uploading a scanned photograph, signature, and valid Photo ID proof (Aadhar, Voter ID, etc.), followed by fee payment.

● Application Fee : ₹100 for General/OBC/EWS male candidates. All female candidates and those from SC/ST/PwBD categories are exempt from the fee

Eligibility Criteria

1. Age Limit (As of August 1, 2026)

Candidates must be between 21 and 32 years old. Specifically, you must have been born between August 2, 1994, and August 1, 2005.

Category-wise Relaxations :

○ OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): Up to 35 years (+3 years relaxation)

○ SC/ST: Up to 37 years (+5 years relaxation)

○ PwBD: Up to 42 years (+10 years relaxation)

○ Ex-Servicemen : Typically up to 37 years (+5 years relaxation)

2. Educational Qualification

● Minimum Requirement : A Bachelor’s degree in any stream from a recognized university.

● Final Year Students : You can apply for the Prelims if you are in your final year. However, you must produce proof of passing before filling out the Detailed Application Form (DAF) for the Mains exam.

● Minimum Marks : There is no minimum percentage required in your degree.

3. Number of Attempts

An attempt is only counted if you actually appear for at least one paper in the Preliminary examination.

● General / EWS : 6 attempts

● OBC / PwBD (Gen/OBC) : 9 attempts

● SC / ST : Unlimited attempts until the maximum age limit is reached.

4. Nationality

● For IAS and IPS: You must be a citizen of India.

● For Other Services: Citizens of India, subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees who arrived before January 1, 1962, are eligible.

Subject Details

Preliminary Examination (Objective)

The Prelims consists of two compulsory papers conducted on the same day. Marks from Paper I determine the cutoff, while Paper II is qualifying.

● General Studies (Paper I) : Current Affairs, History of India (Ancient, Medieval, Modern) & Indian National Movement, Indian and World Geography, Indian Polity and Governance, Economic and Social Development, Environmental Ecology, and General Science.

● CSAT (Paper II) : Comprehension, Interpersonal Skills, Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, General Mental Ability, and Basic Numeracy (Class X level).

Main Examination (Descriptive)

The Mains includes nine descriptive papers. Candidates must secure at least 25% in the two qualifying language papers for their other papers to be evaluated

Paper	Subject Area
Paper A	Compulsory Indian Language (Qualifying)
Paper B	English Language (Qualifying)
Paper I	Essay (two topics chosen from diverse fields)
GS I	Indian Heritage & Culture, History & Geography of the World, and Society
GS II	Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations
GS III	Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security & Disaster Management
GS IV	Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
Optional I & II	Two papers based on one chosen optional subject

Optional Subjects

Candidates must choose one optional subject from a list of 48 options, which includes 25 core subjects (e.g., History, Geography, PSIR, Sociology, Public Administration, Mathematics, Anthropology) and 23 literature subjects.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Ques : 1. What is the final date to apply for UPSC 2026 ?

Ans : The online application window is open from February 4 to February 24, 2026 (closing at 6:00 PM). It is highly recommended to apply early as exam centers are allotted on a “first-apply-first-allot” basis.

Ques : 2. How many vacancies have been announced for 2026 ?

Ans : UPSC has notified 933 vacancies for various services including IAS, IPS, and IFS. This includes specific reservations for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and approximately 33 seats for Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD).

Ques : 3. Can final-year students apply for the exam ?

Ans : Yes. Students in their final year of graduation can apply for the Preliminary exam. However, they must provide proof of passing their degree when submitting the Detailed Application Form (DAF) for the Main examination.

Ques : 4. What are the age limits for different categories ?

Ans : Age is calculated as of August 1, 2026.

○ General/EWS: 21 to 32 years

○ OBC: Up to 35 years

○ SC/ST: Up to 37 years

○ PwBD: Up to 42 years.

Ques : 5. Will the Optional subjects be removed in 2026 ?

Ans : No. There has been no official announcement or change to the exam pattern regarding the removal of optional subjects. The 2026 Main exam will continue to include two optional papers worth 250 marks each.