UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) Exam Date 2026
Here is the UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) 2026 schedule — notification, exam and result timeline — with the official source to confirm each date. Dates change every cycle, so always verify on the official website before you plan around them.
UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) 2026 schedule
| Notification | CSE Prelims notification is typically released in mid-February each year on upsconline.gov.in and upsc.gov.in. The application window is approximately 3 weeks (mid-Feb to early March). Detailed Application Form-I (DAF-I) for Mains is filed by qualified candidates around July; DAF-II for personality test is filed later. |
| Exam | Prelims: late May or early June (both Paper I GS and Paper II CSAT on the same day — forenoon and afternoon slots). Mains: mid-September (over 5-6 consecutive days). Personality Test (Interview): January to April of the following calendar year at UPSC Bhawan, Dholpur House, New Delhi. |
| Result | Prelims result: roughly 4-6 weeks after the Prelims exam. Mains result: roughly 12 weeks after Mains completion. Final merit list with service allocation: typically April-May of the year following the Prelims (so CSE 2025 final list expected by mid-2026). |
Dates can shift by 2-6 weeks depending on UPSC's annual calendar, election overlaps and venue logistics. Always verify against the official Annual Examination Calendar published every January at upsc.gov.in/examinations/examination-calendar, and check upsconline.gov.in for application status and admit card releases.
How to track the UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) dates
- Open the official website. Go to the official UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) conducting-body website (linked below) — exam dates are published there first, never on a coaching site.
- Check the Latest News / Notice Board. Look under the "Latest News", "What's New" or "Notice Board" section for the UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) notification and exam-date notice.
- Note the key dates. Note the application window, exam date, admit-card and result dates. Set a reminder a few days before each.
- Re-check before acting. Dates are often revised. Re-confirm on the official site (or the live updates below) before you travel, apply or plan.
Official UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) links
Latest UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) updates
- UpdateUPSC Prelims 2026 'paper leak' is fake, says PIB Fact Check
- UpdateExam leak & re-exam rumours in 2026: how to tell real from fake
- ResultUPSC Prelims Result 2026 Declared, PDF Download, Roll Number List
- UpdateGovt Debunks Fake Claim of UPSC CSE 2026 Preliminary Question Paper Leak
- ResultUPSC CSE Prelims 2026 result: Name-wise list of qualified candidates out at upsc.gov.in
UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) exam date — FAQs
When is the UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) 2026 exam?
Prelims: late May or early June (both Paper I GS and Paper II CSAT on the same day — forenoon and afternoon slots). Mains: mid-September (over 5-6 consecutive days). Personality Test (Interview): January to April of the following calendar year at UPSC Bhawan, Dholpur House, New Delhi. Always confirm the exact UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) exam date on the official website — the schedule above and the live updates below link straight to it.
When will the UPSC CSE (Civil Services Exam — Prelims) 2026 notification be released?
CSE Prelims notification is typically released in mid-February each year on upsconline.gov.in and upsc.gov.in. The application window is approximately 3 weeks (mid-Feb to early March). Detailed Application Form-I (DAF-I) for Mains is filed by qualified candidates around July; DAF-II for personality test is filed later. The official notification PDF is published on the conducting body's website first.
While you wait for the dates — keep practising.
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