UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 (Released) - Download PDF

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 (Released) - Download PDF

Edited By Meghana Mohana Krishnan | Updated on May 23, 2025 02:26 PM IST | #UPSC CSE
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Union Public Service Commission released the UPSC Calendar 2026 on May 15, 2025 on its website. The UPSC 2026 Calendar was released at upsc.gov.in. Candidates can download the UPSC Calendar and plan their preparation accordingly. The UPSC Calendar 2026 was released in PDF format. Candidates can also access the UPSC Calendar PDF in this article. The UPSC 2026 Calendar PDF consists of some of the important dates of all the exams that will be conducted in 2026.
Check - UPSC Calendar 2026

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 (Released) - Download PDF
UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 (Released) - Download PDF

The calendar consists of notification date, application form last date, UPSC exam date 2026, and the duration of the examination. Any updates related to the UPSC exams will be intimated to the candidates through the official website only. Some of the important UPSC exams 2026 conducted by the commission are UPSC IAS, UPSC NDA, UPSC CDS, UPSC ESE, UPSC CMS, UPSC CAPF, etc.

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026

All the exams which the commission will be conducting will be listed in the UPSC exam 2026 Calendar. The commission sticks to the UPSC schedule 2026 and conducts the exam accordingly. However, any little change or postponement of the UPSC schedule will be intimated through the candidates well in advance. The below table shows the complete UPSC exam 2026 Calendar -

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UPSC 2026 Calendar - Important Dates

Name of Examination

Date of Notification

Last Date for receipt of

Applications

Date of commencement

of Exam

Duration

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination

-

-

January 10, 2026

2 DAYS

Reserved for UPSC Examination

January 17, 20262 Days

Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination, 2026

September 3, 2025

September 23, 2025

February 8, 2026

1 DAY

Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026

September 17, 2025

October 7, 2025

February 8, 2025

1 DAY

CBI (DSP) LDCE

December 24, 2025

January 13, 2026

February 28, 2026

2 DAYS

CISF AC(EXE) LDCE-2026

December 3, 2025

December 23, 2026

February 28, 2026

1 DAY

N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I), 2026

December 10, 2025

December 30, 2025

April 12, 2026

1 DAY

C.D.S. Examination (I), 2026

Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026

January 14, 2026

February 2, 2026

May 24, 2026

1 DAY

Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 through CS(P) Examination 2026

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination



June 6, 2026

2 DAYS

I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination, 2026

February 11, 2026

March 3, 2026

June 19, 2026

3 DAYS

Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) Examination, 2026

-

-

June 20, 2026

2 DAYS

Engineering Services (Main) Examination, 2026

-

-

June 21, 2026

1 DAY

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination



July 4, 2026

2 DAYS

Combined Medical Services Examination, 2026

March 11, 2026

March 31, 2026

August 2, 2026

1 DAY

Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination, 2026

February 18, 2026

March 10, 2026

July 19, 2026

1 DAY

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination



August 8, 2026

2 DAYS

Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026



August 21, 2026

5 DAYS

N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (II), 2026

May 20, 2026

June 9, 2026

September 13, 2026

1 DAY

C.D.S. Examination (II), 2026

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination



September 26, 2026

2 DAYS

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination



October 10, 2026

2 DAYS

Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026



November 22, 2026

7 DAYS

S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE

September 16, 2026

October 6, 2026

December 12, 2026

2 DAYS

Reserved for UPSC RT/ Examination



December 19, 2026

2 DAYS

Also check -

Candidates can refer to that to know the tentative UPSC dates. However, the UPSC exam dates 2026 announced by the commission may also change at times. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official website for any news related to the UPSC 2026 Calendar. They can also download the UPSC Calendar 2026 to check whenever needed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. When will the UPSC 2026 Calendar be released?

The UPSC Calendar has been released on May 15, 2026. 

2. How to download the UPSC Schedule 2026?

Candidates can download the UPSC Schedule from the official website, upsc.gov.in. 

3. What is the UPSC IAS exam date?

The UPSC IAS 2026 exam date is May 24, 2026.

4. How many vacancies are there in UPSC IAS 2026?

The commission will release the UPSC IAS vacancy number in the official notification.

5. What is the use of the UPSC exam Calendar?

Candidates can plan their exam preparation properly with the help of the UPSC Calendar 2026. Candidates can also make sure they do not miss any deadlines.

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Questions related to UPSC CSE

Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?

If you want to become an IAS or IPS officer after completing your 12th in PCMC ,  focus on graduation because the UPSC Civil Services exam requires you to have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. You can choose any graduation stream, but many students prefer degrees like Political Science, Public Administration, History, or Sociology because these subjects help build a strong foundation for the UPSC syllabus. it’s not mandatory to pick these; you can also pursue Science, Commerce, or Arts as long as you complete your graduation. Along with your degree,  start preparing for the UPSC exam early by reading newspapers, improving your general knowledge, and practicing answer writing. So, after 12th, pick a degree you are comfortable with, and plan your UPSC preparation alongside

Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.

Hope this helps!

To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.

UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):

This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).

Any Bachelor's Degree:

A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.

Beneficial Degrees:

Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.

Optional Subject:

You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.

Hope it helps!!

Hello!!

That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.

Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:

1. Understand the Exam Structure

The UPSC CSE has three stages:

Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)

Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)

Interview: Personality Test

2. Check Eligibility

Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)

Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)

3. Choose Your Optional Subject

Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).

Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.

4. Build a Study Plan

Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.

Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.

Focus on:

NCERTs (6th–12th)

Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)

Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)

5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)

For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.

6. Practice Answer Writing

Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.

7. Appear for the Exam

Notification comes out around February.

Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.

How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:

Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.

Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.

If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:

BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.

KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.

After 10th for IAS

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