UPSC 2026 Exam Date, Vacancy, Eligibility, NotificationUPSC 2026 notification is scheduled to be released on January 14, 2026. Get details on UPSC 2026 exam date, eligibility, vacancies, exam pattern, and selection process.
UPSC Exam 2026 – Overview
Dreaming of becoming an IAS or IPS officer? The UPSC Exam 2026 is your gateway to India’s most powerful and prestigious careers in civil services. Every year, lakhs of aspirants take this exam—but only a few make it to the final merit list. What sets them apart? Early preparation, accurate information, and a well-structured plan.
Conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, the UPSC Exam is held in three intense stages — Prelims, Mains, and Interview — to test not only your knowledge but also your personality, decision-making, and ethics. The 2026 exam is expected to follow the familiar structure but with increasing competition, preparation must start now.
In this blog, we decode everything you need to know: the UPSC exam date, vacancy trends, eligibility criteria, and IAS qualification requirements
UPSC Exam Date 2026
The UPSC exam date for CSE 2026 has been officially confirmed in the annual exam calendar. The key dates are:
- Notification Release Date: 14 January 2026
- Application Deadline: 3 February 2026
- UPSC Prelims 2026 Date: 24 May 2026 (Sunday)
- UPSC Mains 2026 Start Date: 21 August 2026 (Friday)
UPSC 2026 Vacancy Details
While the exact vacancy count is officially declared alongside the notification, historical trends provide a useful estimate:
| Year | UPSC CSE Vacancies |
| 2025 | 979 (CSE only) |
| 2024 | 1,056 |
| 2023 | 1,105 |
| 2022 | 1,022 |
| 2021 | 712 |
For UPSC Exam 2026, a vacancy range of 950–1,100 is anticipated based on past releases and official patterns, though final confirmation will only come with the official notification.
A table showing the 2025 vacancies has been shared below
| Service | Total Vacancies | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
| IAS | 180 | 73 | 17 | 49 | 27 | 14 |
| IFS | 37 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| IPS | 200 | 80 | 20 | 55 | 32 | 13 |
| Central Services (Group A) | 613 | 258 | 64 | 160 | 86 | 45 |
| Group B Services | 113 | 47 | 10 | 29 | 15 | 12 |
| Total | 1,043 | 474 | 115 | 303 | 165 | 86 |
UPSC Eligibility
Meeting the UPSC eligibility criteria is mandatory. Here are the core requirements:
- Nationality: Indian citizen for IAS/IPS; other services permit citizens of Nepal/Bhutan, refugees, etc., as per rules.
- Educational Qualification: Graduate degree from a recognized university. Final-year students may apply if they submit proof before the Mains.
- Age Limit (as of 1 August 2026):
- General: 21–32 years
- OBC: 21–35 years
- SC/ST: 21–37 years
- EWS: 21–32 years
- Additional relaxations apply for PwBD and other reserved categories.
- Number of Attempts:
- General: 6
- OBC: 9
- SC/ST: Unlimited (within age limit)
- PwBD: 9 (OBC), Unlimited (SC/ST)
Ensure UPSC eligibility criteria are thoroughly reviewed prior to applying to avoid disqualification.
IAS Qualification
To meet the IAS qualification requirements, a candidate must:
- Be a citizen of India
- Hold a graduate degree from a recognized institution
- Fall within the prescribed age bracket
- Clear all three stages of the UPSC Exam: Prelims, Mains, and Interview
Success in the IAS qualification process stems from subject-matter mastery, analytical thinking, effective writing skills, and ethical clarity—especially for high ranks in Mains and Interview.