UPSC IAS 2026 - The Union Public Service Commission has released the UPSC IAS prelims answer key 2026 on May 27, 2026, on the official website. Earlier, the UPSC successfully conducted the UPSC IAS prelims exam 2026 on May 24, 2026, in a pen-and-paper mode. The exam authority issued the UPSC IAS admit card for prelims on May 15, 2026, on the official website at upsc.gov.in. Candidates are advised to take a hard copy of the UPSC IAS admit card on the exam day.
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The UPSC IAS application correction window 2026 was opened from February 28 to March 3, 2026. Candidates were able to access the UPSC IAS apply link from February 4 to 27, 2026. The commission released the UPSC IAS notification 2026 on February 4, 2026, on the official website at upsc.gov.in. Candidates can fill out and submit the UPSC IAS application form in online mode.
It is advisable to check the UPSC IAS eligibility criteria for 2026 before filling out the form. The UPSC IAS mains will be held on August 21, 2026. The UPSC conducts the UPSC IAS exam every year to recruit eligible candidates into the Indian Administrative Services. Candidates of Indian origin and within an age group of 21 to 32 years will be eligible to appear for UPSC IAS 2026. For more details regarding the syllabus, exam pattern, and important dates, candidates can check the article given below.
IAS full form | Indian Administrative Services / Civil Services Examination |
Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
Official website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC IAS vacancy | 933 |
Level of Exam | National |
Selection criteria |
|
Medium of exam | English and Hindi |
Mode of Exam | Offline |
Application fee | Rs. 100 |
Total exam centres | Preliminary - 80 Mains - 24 |
Union Public Service Commission announced all the dates regarding the UPSC Indian Administrative Services in the official notification. To be updated on the recent and upcoming UPSC IAS exam dates 2026, candidates are advised to keep checking the official website regularly. The table below details important UPSC IAS dates.
Events | Prelims Exam | Mains Exam |
UPSC IAS Notification |
February 4, 2026 | TBA |
IAS application form 2026 |
February 4, 2026 | TBA |
Last date to apply for UPSC IAS 2026 | February 27, 2026 | TBA |
UPSC IAS application form correction | February 28 to March 3, 2026 | TBA |
UPSC IAS 2026 admit card | May 15, 2026 | TBA |
IAS exam date 2026 | May 24, 2026 | August 21, 2026 |
UPSC IAS result date | TBA | TBA |
IAS 2026 personality test | TBA | TBA |
Final UPSC IAS result 2026 | TBA | TBA |
UPSC IAS vacancy 2026 is specified in the official notification by the Commission. Candidates can check the post-wise UPSC IAS 2026 vacancy from the official website, upsc.gov.in. The previous years' IAS vacancies have been listed in the table below.
Year | Number of openings |
2026 | 933 |
2025 | 979 |
2024 | 1056 |
2023 | 1105 |
2022 | 1011 |
2021 | 712 |
2020 | 796 |
The various posts under UPSC IAS recruitment 2026 are divided into two different categories, namely All India Services and Central Government Services. The category-wise distribution of UPSC IAS posts is given in the table below.
Category | Name of the Post |
All India Services | Indian Administrative Services (IAS) |
Indian Police Services (IPS) | |
Indian Forest Services (IFS) | |
Central Government Services | Indian Foreign Services (IFS) |
Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service | |
Indian Audit and Accounts Service | |
Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) | |
Indian Defence Accounts Service | |
Indian Revenue Service (I.T.) | |
Indian Ordnance Factories Service | |
Indian Postal Service | |
Indian Civil Accounts Service | |
Indian Railway Traffic Service | |
Indian Railway Accounts Service | |
Indian Railway Personnel Service | |
Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in the Railway Protection Force | |
Indian Defence Estates Service | |
Indian Information Service | |
Indian Trade Service | |
Indian Corporate Law Service | |
Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service | |
Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service | |
Pondicherry Police Service | |
Pondicherry Civil Service | |
Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service |
The UPSC IAS eligibility criteria 2026 are prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission in the official notification. The UPSC IAS 2026 eligibility criteria details on nationality, age and qualification of applicants, which must be met while filling the application form. Only those candidates who fulfill the eligibility conditions can apply for UPSC IAS 2026. For more accurate details on IAS eligibility criteria, candidates can refer to the article below.
Particulars | Details |
Nationality | Indian |
Age | 21 - 32 years |
Qualification | Graduate in any field from a recognized board or university |
UPSC attempt limit |
|
The commission opened the UPSC IAS application correction window 2026 from February 28 to March 3, 2026. The UPSC IAS application form 2026 was closed online on February 27, 2026. Candidates fulfilling the eligibility criteria will be able to fill the IAS 2026 application form on the official website, upsc.gov.in. The steps to fill the IAS application form are as follows.
Visit the official UPSC Login website, upsc.gov.in.
Log in using the mailed OTR credentials after successful registration
Check the UPSC apply online link mentioned on the home page
Fill in all the details in the UPSC IAS application form
Upload the prescribed documents in order
Pay the IAS application fee online
Submit the online form and print a copy for future reference
The UPSC IAS syllabus 2026 is prescribed by the Commission. For the UPSC IAS 2026 syllabus PDF download, candidates can check the official website. The UPSC IAS syllabus PDF will mention all the topics and subtopics appearing in the exam. The topic wise distribution of the IAS syllabus 2026 will be mentioned in the official notification.
The UPSC IAS 2026 exam pattern is provided in the official Indian Administrative Services notification. The IAS exam pattern 2026 will give an idea of the number of questions, total marks, duration of exam and more. The table below gives stage-wise details on the UPSC IAS 2026 paper pattern.
Number of Papers | Two |
Medium of Exam | Hindi and English |
Exam Duration | Total 4 hours (2 hours for each paper) |
Number of questions | General Studies
|
Total Marks | 400 (200 for each paper) |
IAS Prelims qualifying marks | 33% |
Papers | Nine |
Medium | Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu |
Duration | 3 hours for each paper |
Subjects |
|
Total questions | Part A & B - 300 each GS and optional paper - 250 each |
Maximum marks | 1750 |
The Union Public Service Commission prescribed a list of UPSC IAS exam centres 2026 across the country. Candidates can select the nearby UPSC IAS 2026 exam centre for themselves while filling the application form. They can find the area-wise list of UPSC IAS exam centres in the official notification.
The UPSC has released the UPSC IAS admit card 2026 on May 15, 2026. Candidates who applied for the exam can download the IAS admit card 2026 from the official website, upsc.gov.in. The UPSC IAS admit card contains details on the name of the candidate, exam center address, exam timings, guidelines and more. It is advised to carry a copy of the IAS 2026 admit card along with an ID proof to the exam hall for verification purposes.
The UPSC IAS 2026 exam day guidelines are listed in the admit card. Candidates are advised to go through the IAS exam guidelines before appearing for the IAS 2026. The details on the Indian Administrative Services exam guidelines are given below.
Candidates must arrive at the exam centre at least an hour before the exam starts
They must carry a copy of government issued ID along with the IAS admit card to the exam hall for verification
Examinees are not allowed to leave the exam hall till the time concludes
No kind of gadgets or electronic devices will be allowed inside the exam hall
Candidates are allowed to bring a ball-point pen and a transparent water bottle inside the exam hall.
The official UPSC IAS answer key 2026 is released by the Union Public Service Commission after the conclusion of the exam. The UPSC answer key is released in two stages: provisional and final. First, a provisional IAS answer key is released, which can be challenged by the candidates with a valid proof and applicable fee. Considering all objections, a final UPSC IAS answer key will be released.
The UPSC IAS 2026 answer key will be released at different time intervals for various stages of the exam, like prelims, mains and interview. A direct link to download the IAS 2026 answer key will be provided on this page after official or unofficial release.
The UPSC will not provide any official UPSC IAS exam analysis 2026. However, many leading coaching institutes will make a list of UPSC IAS 2026 exam analysis on their respective websites. The UPSC IAS analysis will give an idea to the candidates on difficulty level of the exam. The exam analysis of UPSC IAS 2026 will be prepared considering the live feedback given by the examinees.
The UPSC board releases all the sets of UPSC IAS question papers 2026 on its official website. Candidates can download the previous years' UPSC IAS question papers at upsc.gov.in. The IAS question papers will give candidates good practice for the examination. The UPSC IAS 2026 question paper will enhance the accuracy of candidates for the final exam.
Year of Exam | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
2025 | Download | Download |
2024 | Download | Download |
2023 | Download | Download |
2022 | Download | Download |
2021 | Download | Download |
The Union Public Service Commission will declare the UPSC IAS result 2026 a few days after the exam concludes. The UPSC IAS result PDF will be available online at upsc.gov.in. The IAS result 2026 will mention the name of the candidate along with their qualifying status and cutoff marks. Only those who qualify in the prelims exam will be eligible for the mains and further interview stage of UPSC recruitment 2026.
The UPSC IAS 2026 cut off is released by the UPSC after the selection process concludes. The UPSC IAS cut off 2026 is released in PDF format along with the result online. The IAS 2026 cut off marks are the minimum scores candidates need to get to qualify for the exam. The IAS cut off is released separately for each stage of the exam. Candidates can check the previous years' UPSC IAS cutoff marks to predict the present year cut off scores.
The UPSC IAS selection process 2026 consists of three basic stages: preliminary, mains and interview. Candidates who qualify in all the stages of the UPSC exam will be recruited under Group A & B posts listed above in the article.
Teaching exams:
The UPSC IAS salary 2026 is the remuneration provided by the government of India. After successful completion and passing of all the recruitment tests, candidates will be offered the IAS salary 2026 of Rs. 56,100 as basic pay. Other benefits and allowances like HRA, DA, TA and medical insurance will be included in the IAS salary. Upon gaining experience and promotions with successive years, the IAS officers' salary will go high to Rs. 2,50,000 per month.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Any candidates of indian origin within an age group of 21 to 32 years and having a basic bachelors degree will be eligible to appear for the IAS 2026.
Candidates can prepare for the IAS exam by preparing a dedicated study plan and referring to previous years question papers and making it a daily practice.
No, as the UPSC IAS age requirement falls between 21 to 30 years, it is not possible to sit for the exam at 40. However, referring to age relaxation it might be possible for some categories.
The average IAS officer salary can start from Rs. 56,100 to 2,50,00 over time and promotions.
On Question asked by student community
Hi Akshay,
Coming from an MPC background is a hidden advantage if you're planning to prepare for the IAS exam. Here are a few tips to follow to be consistent with your goal.
Hi Aspirant,
Candidates who want to become an IAS officer need to appear for the UPSC CSE exam consisting of prelims, mains, and then an interview. To know complete information about IAS officers, read the article below.
Hello Prativa
You can refer to the link given below for knowing all the details about an IAS Officer or how to become an IAS Officer
https://www.careers360.com/careers/ias-officer
Hope It Helps.
Hello,
Becoming an IAS officer through the UPSC Civil Services examination is a great goal. One of the most required qualifications for IAS can be Bachelor's degree (BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA, B.Tech etc.) with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology,
Hello,
IAS ki taiyari ke liye union public service commission (UPSC) dwara nirdharit eligibility criteria pura karna jaruri hai. aap kisi bhi maanyataprapt college se study karte hue IAS ki tayari kar sakte hai.
Apko upsc civil services exam syllabus ki jankari honi chahiye. taiyari ke liye aap self study
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