Recruitment Lifecycle & Timeline
AI FORECAST26
UPSC CSE (Civil Services) (2026)
Active
Notification
11 Feb 2026
Prelims Exam
24 May 2026
UPSC • Official Lifecycle & AI Intelligence Hub
UPSC CSE (Civil Services Examination) is a national competitive recruitment examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Candidates appointed receive an estimated in-hand monthly salary of as per 7th CPC standards, with general eligibility requiring ages between 18 to 30/32 years.
UPSC CSE is India's premier exam to recruit officers for IAS, IPS, IFS and other Group A/B civil services.
| Stage | Mode | Subjects / Modules | Duration | Total Marks | Negative Marking | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | OMR based (Objective (MCQ)) | General Studies I & II (CSAT) | 2 Hours each | 400 | 0.66 per wrong answer | Difficult |
| Mains | Pen & Paper (Descriptive) | Essay, GS I-IV, Optional I & II, Language papers | 3 Hours each | 1750 | Not applicable | Very Difficult |
| Interview | Personality Test (Board Interview) | Personality and Ethics based questions | - | 275 | Not applicable | Difficult |
Graduates aspiring for IAS/IPS/IFS
Highly motivated long-term serious aspirants
Candidates from any academic background
A: UPSC CSE is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
A: Yes, UPSC CSE is generally held annually as per the official recruitment calendar.
A: Most objective stages carry negative marking; check the official notification for exact deduction.