UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2026 application deadline extended till Feb 27

The official notice on the website reads:

The last date for submission of online Application form for the Civil Services Examination, 2026 and Indian Forest Service Examination, 2026 has now been extended by three (03) days i.e till 27-02-2026 (up to 6pm).

The notification for both examinations was issued on February 4, 2026, and the online application process began the same day.

As per the notification, the Civil Services Examination 2026 will be conducted to fill 933 vacancies under the Central Government. Recruitment to both CSE and IFS will be carried out through a common preliminary examination.

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The preliminary exam is scheduled for May 24, 2026. Candidates who qualify in this stage will be eligible to appear for the Main examination, which will begin on August 21, 2026.

How to apply for UPSC CSE, IFS 2026

Candidates can follow these steps given below

Step 1: Visit upsconline.nic.in.

Step 2: Complete One-Time Registration (OTR), if not already done.

Step 3: Log in and select the CSE 2026 or IFS 2026 application link.

Step 4: Fill in personal, academic and contact details.

Step 5: Upload photograph, signature and required documents.

Step 6: Pay the fee online, if applicable.

Step 7: Review the form and submit.

Step 8: Download the confirmation page for future reference.

Regarding the application fee, candidates belonging to General, OBC and EWS categories are required to pay Rs 100. Candidates from SC, ST and female categories are also required to pay Rs 100. Persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) are exempted from paying the fee. Payment must be made online.

To apply, candidates are required to hold a graduate degree from a recognised university. The age limit is between 21 and 32 years, with age relaxation available for reserved categories as per government norms.

The selection process will consist of five stages — Preliminary examination, Main examination, Interview, Document verification and Medical examination. The Commission will issue e-Admit Cards on the last working day of the week preceding the exam. Candidates who change their scribe seven days before the exam will receive their admit card three days prior to the examination date. Admit cards will be available only on the official website.