New Delhi (Education Desk):The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the annual examination calendar for the year 2026. This calendar includes the dates of all the major competitive examinations that the commission conducts every year. It includes prestigious examinations like Civil Services, Defense Services, Forest Services, Engineering Services. According to this calendar released by UPSC, the Civil Services Preliminary Examination will be held on 24 May 2026, while the main exam will be held on 21 August 2026.
The preliminary examination for the Civil Services Examination, considered to be the most prestigious exam in the country, will be held on 24 May 2026. The notification for this will be released on 4 February 2026, and the last date of application has been fixed as 3 March 2026. After this, the main examination will start from 21 August 2026, which will last for several days.
Two shifts of NDA and CDS exam
The National Defence Academy (NDA) and Combined Defence Services (CDS) exams will be conducted in two phases. The first phase of both these exams will be held on 12 April 2026, while the second phase will be held on 13 September 2026. These exams are very important for candidates who want to become officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) exam is scheduled on 19 July 2026. This exam is for those candidates who want to be recruited for the posts of Assistant Commandant in forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
Dates of other major exams
- Engineering Services Examination (ESE) Prelims – 4 January 2026
- Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS) – 26 June 2026
- Indian Forest Service (IFS) Prelims – 24 May 2026, along with CSE Prelims
- CISF AC (EXE) LDCE Exam – 1 March 2026
- Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination (IES/ISS) – 19 June 2026
- Combined Geologist Examination – 20 February 2026
Calendar changes also possible
UPSC has clarified that if circumstances demand, changes can be made in exam dates, notifications and application period. However, usually the commission follows the prescribed calendar. This is the reason why other exam conducting bodies also fix their dates keeping in mind the schedule of UPSC.
What should candidates do?
Candidates who are preparing for UPSC exams should read this calendar carefully and plan their studies accordingly. Applying on time and maintaining discipline in preparation is the key to success.
The complete exam calendar is available on the official website of UPSC www.upsc.gov.in, which candidates can download and decide their future strategy.
The UPSC Calendar 2026 is a direction setting document for lakhs of candidates who dream of joining the prestigious services of India. Success in this difficult exam can be achieved only by timely preparation and planning.
