UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE): IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS Guide
UPSC Planner Editorial Team
UPSC Planner Guide
Summary
One-stop UPSC CSE guide for IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS aspirants: eligibility, attempts, services, application flow, dates, marks and official links.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE): Complete IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS Guide
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is India's common competitive examination for recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and other notified central services. This is the one examination people commonly mean when they search for the UPSC IAS exam, UPSC IPS exam, UPSC IFS exam, or UPSC IRS exam.
Important distinction: IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS are services allocated after the same CSE. They are not separate UPSC entrance examinations. On this page, IFS means Indian Foreign Service. The Indian Forest Service (IFoS) is a separate UPSC examination.
CSE at a glance
| Stage | What it does | Format | Counts in final rank? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Examination | Screens candidates for Main | 2 objective papers | No |
| Main Examination | Tests written understanding and analysis | 9 descriptive papers | Yes - 7 merit papers |
| Personality Test | Assesses suitability for civil services | Interview | Yes |
The official CSE 2026 notice says that Prelims is a screening test only. Its marks do not carry into final merit. Final rank is determined from the Main written merit papers and the Personality Test.
Services and posts through UPSC CSE: 2026 complete list
UPSC's 2026 CSE notice names 23 participating services/posts. The exact list, vacancy count and participating services can change in a later cycle.
Group A services
- Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
- Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
- Indian Police Service (IPS)
- Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group A
- Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group A
- Indian Corporate Law Service, Group A
- Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group A
- Indian Defence Estates Service, Group A
- Indian Information Service, Group A
- Indian Postal Service, Group A
- Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service, Group A
- Indian Railway Management Service (Traffic), Group A
- Indian Railway Management Service (Personnel), Group A
- Indian Railway Management Service (Accounts), Group A
- Indian Railway Protection Force Service, Group A
- Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes), Group A
- Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax), Group A
- Indian Trade Service, Group A (Grade III)
Group B services
- Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group B (Section Officer's Grade)
- Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS), Group B
- Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS), Group B
- Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS), Group B
- Pondicherry Police Service (PONDIPS), Group B
Selection does not guarantee a particular service. Allocation depends on final rank, the candidate's service preferences, vacancies, reservation, medical/physical standards and other rules. For IAS and IPS, candidates must also indicate home-cadre preference when UPSC asks for it.
Eligibility for UPSC CSE: 2026 rules
These figures are from the 2026 notification. They can change in a later cycle, so verify them against the current UPSC notice before applying.
Nationality
- For IAS, IFS and IPS, the candidate must be a citizen of India.
- For other services, UPSC also permits specified categories including citizens of India, subjects of Nepal or Bhutan, certain Tibetan refugees, and certain persons of Indian origin, subject to the notification's conditions and, where required, a Government of India eligibility certificate.
Age limit
For CSE 2026, a candidate had to be at least 21 and below 32 years on 1 August 2026 (born between 2 August 1994 and 1 August 2005, inclusive as stated by UPSC).
| Category or condition | 2026 upper-age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | Up to 5 years |
| OBC eligible for reservation | Up to 3 years |
| PwBD | Up to 10 years |
| Certain defence personnel / ex-servicemen | As specified in the notice |
Applicable relaxations can be cumulative in some cases. Read the complete current notification if you claim any relaxation.
Educational qualification
A graduate degree from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification, is required. Candidates awaiting their qualifying-exam result may be admitted provisionally under the notification's conditions, but candidates who reach the Personality Test stage must produce valid proof of passing within UPSC's deadline. Recognised professional and technical qualifications are also covered; medical candidates have specific internship-related conditions.
Number of attempts
| Category | CSE 2026 attempts |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 6 |
| OBC | 9 |
| SC/ST | Unlimited, subject to age limit |
| PwBD | As specified in the 2026 rules: 9 for General/EWS/OBC; unlimited for SC/ST, subject to eligibility and age rules |
Appearing in even one Preliminary Examination paper counts as an attempt. A cancelled or later-disqualified candidature after appearing also counts as an attempt.
Exam process: from application to service allocation
- Apply online on UPSC's online portal. The 2026 process uses a Universal Registration Number (URN), Common Application Form (CAF), and an examination-specific module.
- Write Prelims: GS Paper I determines the Main shortlist; CSAT (GS Paper II) is qualifying at 33%.
- Update after Prelims result: Main-qualified candidates must log in during UPSC's specified 10-day window, reconfirm/update information and submit the form. Missing this step prevents participation in the next stage.
- Write Main: nine conventional/essay-type papers, including qualifying language papers, Essay, GS I-IV and two optional papers.
- Update after written Main result: Personality-Test-qualified candidates must use UPSC's specified 15-day window to provide/update required details and proof of qualification. Missing documents can cancel candidature.
- Personality Test and allocation: final merit is made from Main merit marks plus the 275-mark Personality Test; allocation follows rank, preferences and eligibility.
Marks and selection structure
| Component | Marks | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Prelims GS Paper I | 200 | Screening |
| Prelims CSAT | 200 | Qualifying: 33% |
| Main merit papers | 1,750 | Counts for rank |
| Personality Test | 275 | Counts for rank |
| Final total | 2,025 | Final merit |
The two Main qualifying language papers are 300 marks each but are excluded from ranking. Candidates need at least 25% in each qualifying language paper for the other Main papers to be considered for merit. See the dedicated exam-pattern page and syllabus page for the full breakdown.
2026 schedule and cycle reference
| Item | Official 2026 reference |
|---|---|
| Notification | 4 February 2026 |
| Prelims | 24 May 2026 |
| Expected vacancies | Approximately 933, subject to change |
| Main examination | 21 to 30 August 2026 |
| Main sessions | 9:00 AM-12:00 noon and 2:30 PM-5:30 PM, as applicable |
The current Main timetable places Essay on 21 August; GS I and II on 22 August; GS III and IV on 23 August; qualifying language and English on 29 August; and the two optional papers on 30 August.
UPSC CSE Main 2026: paper-wise timetable
| Date | Forenoon session (9:00 AM-12:00 noon) | Afternoon session (2:30 PM-5:30 PM) |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 21 August 2026 | Paper I - Essay | No paper |
| Saturday, 22 August 2026 | Paper II - General Studies I | Paper III - General Studies II |
| Sunday, 23 August 2026 | Paper IV - General Studies III | Paper V - General Studies IV |
| Saturday, 29 August 2026 | Paper A - Indian Language | Paper B - English |
| Sunday, 30 August 2026 | Paper VI - Optional Subject, Paper 1 | Paper VII - Optional Subject, Paper 2 |
Paper A is one listed Indian language selected by the candidate. Papers VI and VII are the two papers of the same optional subject. The complete language and optional-subject lists are on the CSE Syllabus page. Schedules can be revised by UPSC.
UPSC CSE 2027 planning dates
| Milestone | Official 2027 calendar date |
|---|---|
| Notification | 13 January 2027 |
| Last date for applications | 2 February 2027 |
| Preliminary Examination | 23 May 2027 (Sunday) |
| Main Examination | 20 August 2027 (Friday), 5 days |
These are planning dates from UPSC's calendar published on 20 May 2026 and may change. See the searchable UPSC Exam Calendar 2027 for the complete programme and official source.
Fees and application essentials: 2026 reference
- Prelims fee: Rs. 100 for candidates required to pay it.
- Main fee after qualifying Prelims: Rs. 200 for candidates required to pay it.
- Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates were exempt in the 2026 notice, subject to its conditions.
- Use only the payment methods and submission route listed by UPSC; the 2026 notice provides online payment options including net banking, cards and UPI.
- Keep a valid government photo-ID detail ready; UPSC requests supporting documents for claims such as date of birth, category and educational qualification.
Fees, windows, documentation rules and application-interface requirements are cycle-specific. Do not rely on an old fee or deadline.
Frequently confused points
Is IAS a separate exam from UPSC CSE?
No. IAS is a service allocated through CSE. The same applies to IPS, IFS and IRS.
Is Prelims included in the final UPSC rank?
No. Prelims only qualifies a candidate for Main. Final merit uses Main written merit marks and the Personality Test.
Is CSAT counted in the Prelims cut-off?
CSAT is qualifying at 33%. GS Paper I is the screening paper on which UPSC determines the qualifying cut-off, subject to the rules.
Is IFS the same as Indian Forest Service?
No. In CSE discussions, IFS generally refers to Indian Foreign Service. Indian Forest Service is commonly written as IFoS and is a separate examination.
Can a final-year student apply?
The 2026 notice permits candidates who have appeared for, or intend to appear for, the qualifying examination to sit provisionally, subject to producing proof of passing by the specified stage and deadline.
Official links
- UPSC CSE 2026 notification and complete rules
- UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026
- UPSC CSE Main 2026 timetable
- UPSC active examinations
- UPSC online application portal
- Department of Personnel and Training
Before you act
This page is a structured guide, not a substitute for the current official notification. Always check the latest UPSC CSE notice for changed dates, vacancies, services, eligibility, age, attempts, fees, examination centres, medical standards, application instructions and service-allocation rules.