UPSC Notification 2026: Can IAS, IPS, IFS reapply? FAQs answered

Q2. Where to apply for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026?

Answer: Candidates can fill out the online application on https://upsconline.nic.in.  The Online Application Portal of UPSC for registration and filling up of the online application form has four cards/modules, three of which, namely, Account creation, Universal Registration, and Common Application Form, are common to all examination applications and can be filled anytime by the candidate.

The fourth card/module is examination-specific. Anyone applying for UPSC CSE has to click on ” Apply for Examination” and go through the notification and fill the remaining portions that include a live photo, a latest photograph, and a signature.

Apply for the examination on upsconline.nic.in. (Screenshot)

Q3. What is URN?

Answer: URN is the Universal Registration Number, which is generated after filling in the Personal Details, which once created forms the permanent record of the applicant, using which he/she can fill all future applications of the Commission.

Q4. Can you update or modify your Universal Registration Number (URN) profile?

Answer: A one-time facility for candidates to update or modify their Universal Registration Number (URN) profile is provided. The changes made in the URN profile will not be reflected in applications already submitted. The updated information will apply only to applications submitted after the candidate has made the necessary changes and successfully re-locked the URN Profile.

Q5. What is the provision for withdrawing the application or making corrections to the submitted application?

Answer: The candidates will not be allowed to withdraw their applications after the submission of the same. After submission, no correction, alteration or modification in any field of the Application Form is allowed.

Q6. Can an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) apply for CSE-2026?

Answer: No. The notification mentions that any candidate who is appointed to the IAS or IFS based on the results of an earlier Examination and continues to be a member of that Service will not be eligible to appear at the Civil Services Examination-2026.

Q7. The CSE-2025 result is not out yet, so what about those candidates who will get selected once the final result is out?

Answer: The notifications provide two conditions for such candidates:

* A candidate has appeared in the CSE (Prelims) Exam-2026 and after the CSE 2025 result gets appointed to the IAS or IFS and continues to be a member of that service, the candidate shall not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026, notwithstanding having qualified in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026.

* If such a candidate is appointed to the IAS or IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026 but before the result thereof is declared by the Commission and continues to be a member of that Service, the candidate shall not be considered for appointment to any Service/Post on the basis of the result of the CSE-2026.

Q8. Are selected or appointed Indian Police Service (IPS) officers eligible to apply?

Answer: Yes, they can apply for CSE-2026. However, such candidates shall not be eligible to opt for or be allocated to the Indian Police Service on the basis of the result of CSE- 2026.

Q9. Does the notification provide any restrictions for applying in CSE 2027?

Answer: Yes. The notification states that a candidate allocated to the Indian Police Service or a Central Service Group ‘A’ on the basis of the result of the CSE-2026 will have the option to appear in the immediate subsequent CSE-2027.

However, there are certain restrictions which are detailed below:

(a) The candidate has been granted an exemption from the concerned authority from training for the service allocated on the basis of CSE-2026. That candidate will be eligible for grant of one-time exemption only from joining the training in order to appear in CSE- 2027.

(b) A candidate is eligible if he/she has only joined the training in the Foundation Course (FC).

Q10. What happens if the selected candidate of the CSE 2026 neither joins the training for the service allocated nor takes exemption from joining training?

Answer: In this case, the allocation of service based on CSE-2026 shall stand cancelled.

Q11. What happens when you don’t get the desired post in CSE-2027? Are you eligible to get the posts you were getting in CSE-2026?

Answer: A candidate who is selected for both CSE-2026 and CSE-2027, he/she can accept the service allocated either on the basis of CSE-2026 or CSE-2027 and will join the training scheduled for CSE-2027. In this case, allocation to the service other than the one opted shall stand cancelled at this stage. However, in any case if the candidate fails to join training for the service allocated on the basis of CSE-2026 or CSE-2027, his/her allocation to both the services shall stand cancelled.

Q12. What happens if you don’t get any posts in CSE-2027? Will you be eligible for the allocated post of CSE-2026?

Answer: In case a candidate is not allocated to any service on the basis of CSE-2027, then the candidate can join the service allocated through CSE-2026. If he/she fails to join the training for the service allocated on the basis of CSE-2026, his/her allocation to the services shall stand cancelled.

Q13. Are there any restrictions for candidates allocated to the IPS or a Central Service Group ‘A’ through CSE-2026 for appearing in CSE-2028?

Answer: Yes. The notification says that such candidates shall not be allowed to appear for CSE-2028 and any CSE thereafter, unless he/she resigns from the allocated service.

Q14. What about candidates who want to utilise their remaining attempts even after being allocated to IPS or a Central Service Group ‘A’ through CSE-2026?

Answer: In this case, if the candidate has availed onetime exemption from joining training and has not joined the allocated service on the basis of CSE-2026 or CSE-2027, such a candidate’s service allocation shall stand cancelled automatically. They can appear in subsequent CSE exams.

Q15. What about the eligibility of such candidates who have been allocated to any service based on CSE-2025 or earlier? Can they appear in the forthcoming CSE?

Answer: In this case, the candidate will be given a one-time opportunity to appear in either CSE-2026 or CSE-2027, as per his/her choice, to enable him/her to utilize his/her remaining attempt. It will be subject to fulfilling other eligibility criteria, without the need to resign from service.

Q16. What about candidates who want to appear in CSE-2028 or beyond and are already selected in the IPS or a Central Service Group ‘A’?

Answer: For such candidates desirous of appearing in CSE-2028 or beyond, he/she shall have to resign from his/her allocated service.

Q17. What is the “Tie-Breaking Principle” of the commission mentioned in the notification?

Answer: The tie-breaking principle in UPSC CSE existed earlier, too. According to the notification, in case of equal marks between the candidates, the following principle is to be applied:

(i) If the marks in aggregate (Final Marks) are equal, the Candidate securing more marks in the Compulsory (Common) Papers of written examination (“Paper-I : Essay”, Paper-II : GS-I”, “Paper-III : GS- II”, “Paper-IV : GS-III”, “Paper-V : GS-IV”) and the Personality Test put together will be ranked higher;

(ii) If the marks at (i) above are equal, then the candidate securing more marks in the Compulsory (Common) Papers of written examination (“Paper-I : Essay”, “Paper II : GS-I”, “Paper-III : GS-II”, “Paper-IV : GS-III :, “Paper-V : GS-IV” put together) will be ranked higher;

(iii) If the marks at (i) & (ii) above are also equal, the candidate Senior in age will be ranked higher; and

(iv) In cases where a tie persists even after applying the above tie-breaking principles, it will be resolved at the discretion of the Commission.

All the Best!

🚨In case of doubts, queries, and suggestions, mail to manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.