UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 Out: Download Schedule PDF, Notification & Exam Dates

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially published the UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 at www.upsc.gov.in. Originally released on 15th May 2025, this comprehensive annual planner outlines exact exam schedules, notification dates, and application windows for major recruitment drives including Civil Services, NDA & NA, CDS, CMS, and CAPF AC.

Aspirants preparing for premier government positions can now strategically organize their preparation timelines using official scheduling data. Below, you will find complete details on notification schedules, registration cycles, and the chronological order of examinations.

Why UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 Important? (Benefits & Best Practices)

Utilizing the official timetable provides distinct strategic advantages for candidates:

• Candidates can create an effective study plan that they can follow smoothly if they know the notification release date and exam dates beforehand.
• Candidates have sufficient time to cover each subject, revise it thoroughly, and practice mock tests & previous year question papers.
• The annual calendar helps the candidates who are preparing for multiple examinations conducted by UPSC or other organisations to avoid any clashes.
• Candidates can prepare in a calm environment without any sudden announcement of the exam dates.

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 Notification and Registration Timelines

Review the notification release dates and registration windows for major recruitment drives:

Exam Names	Notification Release Dates	Registration Dates
Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026	14th January 2026	14th January to 3rd February 2026
Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 through CS(P) Examination	14th January 2026	14th January to 3rd February 2026
I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination, 2026	11th February 2026	11th February to 3rd March 2026
Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination, 2026	18th February 2026	18th February to 10th March 2026
Combined Medical Services Examination, 2026	18th March 2026	18th March to 7th April 2026
N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (II), 2026	20th May 2026	20th May to 9th June 2026
C.D.S. Examination (II), 2026	20th May 2026	20th May to 9th June 2026
S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE	16th September 2026	16th September to 6th October 2026

Complete UPSC Examination Schedule 2026

The master schedule outlines the exact exam dates and durations for preliminary, main, and departmental tests:

SNo.	Exam Names	Exam Date & Day	No. of Days
1	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	10th January 2026 (Saturday)	2 Days
2	Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination, 2026	18th January 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
3	Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026	8th February 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
4	CBI (DSP) LDCE	24th January 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
5	CISF AC(EXE) LDCE–2026	1st March 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
6	N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I), 2026	12th April 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
7	C.D.S. Examination (I), 2026	12th April 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
8	Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026	24th May 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
9	Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 through CS(P) Examination	24th May 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
10	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	6th June 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
11	I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination, 2026	26th June 2026 (Friday)	3 Days
12	Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) Examination, 2026	20th June 2026 (Saturday)	2 Days
13	Engineering Services (Main) Examination, 2026	28th June 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
14	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	4th July 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
15	Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination, 2026	9th August 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
16	Combined Medical Services Examination, 2026	23rd August 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
17	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	5th September 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
18	Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026	18th September 2026 (Friday)	5 Days
19	N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (II), 2026	6th September 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
20	C.D.S. Examination (II), 2026	6th September 2026 (Sunday)	1 Day
21	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	26th September 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
22	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	3rd October 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
23	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination	10th October 2026 (Saturday)	1 Day
24	Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026	21st November 2026 (Saturday)	10 Days
25	S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE	12th December 2026 (Saturday)	2 Days
26	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination dates	19th December 2026 (Saturday)	2 Days
27	Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination dates	26th December 2026 (Saturday)	2 Days

Specialized Service Examination Highlights

UPSC NDA & NA Exam 2026 Dates

Activity	NDA 1	NDA 2
Notification Release Date	10th December 2025	20th May 2026
Start of Application Process	10th December 2025	20th May 2026
Last Date to Register	30th December 2025	9th June 2026
UPSC NDA Admit Card 2026	April 2026	September 2026
UPSC NDA Exam 2026	12th April 2026	13th September 2026

UPSC CSE & IFS 2026 Timeline

Activity	Schedule
Notification Release Date	14th January 2026
Start of Application Process	14th January 2026
Last Date to Register	3rd February 2026
UPSC CSE Prelims Exam 2026	24th May 2026 (1 day)
UPSC CSE Mains Exam 2026	18th September 2026 (5 days)

UPSC CAPF 2026 Timeline

Activity	Schedule
Notification Release Date	18th February 2026
Start of Application Process	18th February 2026
Last Date to Register	10th March 2026
UPSC Exam Date	9th August 2026

Download Official UPSC Calendar 2026 PDF

Candidates are advised to keep a digital or printed copy of the annual schedule handy. You can directly access and download the official document via the link below:

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 PDF - Click to Download

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 Out?

Yes, the official UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 was released on 15th May 2025, detailing all the important dates for the upcoming academic and recruitment year.

When is UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 to be held?

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 is officially scheduled to take place on 24th May 2026.

What’s Included in the UPSC Exam Calendar PDF?

The UPSC calendar includes essential information such as notification release dates, registration timelines, and exam durations for premier services including the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Indian Forest Service (IFoS), NDA, CDS, and CAPF.