The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has issued the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) notification 2026 on 4 February 2026. The number of vacancies released is 933 and the registration process has already started on the official website at https://upsconline.nic.in/.
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 notification has been released on 4 February 2026, announcing a total of 933 vacancies for different civil services posts. Eligible graduate candidates can now apply for the UPSC CSE 2026, as the online application process commenced on 4th February 2026 through the official website www.upsc.gov.in.
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Notification Out
Graduate candidates aged between 21 to 32 years old eligible to apply online for various All India Services and Central Civil Services examinations. Before proceeding with the application process, candidates should download and carefully review the official notification PDF to understand the vacancies, eligibility criteria, application schedule, and other important details.
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 – Overview
| Organization | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Name | Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 |
| Exam level | National |
| Vacancies | 933 |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Registration Dates | 4th to 24th February 2026 |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate or relevant degree |
| Age Limit | 21 to 32 years |
| Exam Frequency | Once in a year |
| Selection Process | PrelimsMainsInterview |
| No. of Attempts | General – 6 attemptsOBC – 9 attemptsSC/ST – No restrictions |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in. |
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
The dates for the registration has been announced with the UPSC Notification 2026, while the Prelims and Mains exam dates were released through the UPSC Calendar 2026. For your convenience, the complete schedule of the UPSC CSE 2026 examination has been provided in the table below.
| Events | Dates |
| Detailed Notification | 4th February 2026 |
| Registeration Window Open | 4th to 24th February 2026 |
| Last Date to Pay the Application Fee | 24th February 2026 (6 pm) |
| Prelims Exam Date | 24th May 2026 |
| Mains Exam Date | 21st August 2026 onwards |
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Vacancy
A total of 933 vacancies have been announced for various Civil Services posts under the UPSC CSE Notification 2026, including 66 posts reserved for PwBD and differently abled candidates.
| Category | Reserved vacancies |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability | 33 |
| Blindness and low vision | 7 |
| Deaf and hard of hearing | 11 |
| Locomotor disability, including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy | 8 |
| Multiple disabilities among persons | 7 |
| Total | 66 |
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is one of the first concerns that comes to the mind of a UPSC CSE aspirant. Key eligibility parameters for the UPSC IAS exam include nationality, age limit, number of attempts, and educational qualification. Candidates must carefully verify the eligibility criteria before applying for the UPSC CSE Exam 2026 and ensure they fulfill all the prescribed conditions outlined below.
UPSC IAS Educational Qualification
A candidate must hold a graduate degree from a Central or State University established by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India, or from another educational institution recognized by an Act of Parliament or declared a deemed university.
UPSC IAS Nationality
For the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), the candidate must be a citizen of India. For other civil services, a candidate may be:
- A citizen of India, Nepal, or Bhutan
- A Tibetan refugee who migrated to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, or East African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam, with the intention of permanent settlement in India
Note: Candidates who are citizens of Nepal or Bhutan, or Tibetan refugees, are not eligible to apply for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
UPSC IAS Age Limit
Applicants must be between 21 to 32 years of age. Accordingly, candidates should have been born between 2 August 1993 and 1 August 2004 (both dates inclusive).
Candidates can refer to the table below for age relaxation applicable to different categories.
| 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; (e) Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) including deaf-blindness | 10 Years |
Note: There is no age relaxation for candidates of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the UPSC CSE Exam 2026.
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Selection Process
The UPSC Selection Process 2026 is carried out through three distinct stages, each designed to evaluate different competencies of candidates:
- Preliminary Examination (Prelims): Consists of objective-type questions and serves as a screening test to shortlist candidates for the Mains examination.
- Main Examination (Mains): Includes descriptive papers aimed at assessing a candidate’s in-depth knowledge, analytical skills, and written expression.
- Interview / Personality Test: Focuses on evaluating the candidate’s personality traits, decision-making ability, and overall suitability for a career in the civil services.
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Application Fee
Candidates, other than female, SC, ST, and Persons with Benchmark Disability categories who are exempted from fee payment, are required to pay an application fee of ₹100 (Rupees One Hundred only). The fee can be paid by cash at any State Bank of India branch, or through Visa, MasterCard, or RuPay credit/debit cards, or by using SBI’s internet banking facility.
| Category | Application Fee |
| UR/OBC/EWS | ₹100/-only |
| SC/ST/PWD/Female/Ex-service men | ₹00/-only |
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Salary
After submitting the application form, candidates are keen to learn about the salary structure. The post-wise pay details can be checked in the official UPSC CSE notification, and selected candidates are paid as per the 7th Pay Commission. The minimum basic salary of an IAS officer begins at ₹56,100 (excluding TA, DA, and HRA) and can go up to ₹2,50,000 for the Cabinet Secretary. The pay levels for various posts range from Level 10 to Level 18. As per the 7th Pay Commission, HRA for IAS officers is applicable at rates of 24%, 16%, and 8%, depending on the posting location.
How to Apply for UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026
Candidates must first ensure that they fulfill the eligibility requirements highlighted by UPSC for the examination they wish to apply for. The eligibility criteria generally include educational qualification, age limit, and nationality. After confirming the eligibility you can apply for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 by following steps:
- Visit the official UPSC website at https://www.upsc.gov.in/.
- Click on the “Apply Online” link available on the homepage.
- New applicants must complete the registration process by entering basic details such as name, date of birth, email ID, and mobile number.
- After successful registration, a unique registration ID and password will be generated; keep these credentials safe for future reference.
- Log in using the registration ID and password.
- Complete the online application form by filling in personal details, educational qualifications, preferred examination centre, and other required information.
- Upload scanned copies of your photograph and signature in the prescribed format and file size.
- Pay the application fee online using the available payment methods.
- Carefully review all the entered details before submitting the application form to ensure accuracy.
UPSC CSE Recruitment 2026 Important Questions
Candidates must be graduates, aged between 21 and 32 years, and meet the nationality criteria specified by UPSC for the respective services.
Applications can be submitted online through the official UPSC website at www.upsc.gov.in by clicking on the “Apply Online” link.
Yes, first-time applicants must complete the registration process to generate a registration ID and password before filling out the application form.
Candidates need scanned copies of their recent photograph and signature in the prescribed format and size.
UPSC usually provides a correction window for a limited period; however, candidates are advised to carefully review all details before final submission.