UPSC Calendar 2026, Check Official Exam Dates and Schedule

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the UPSC Annual Exam Calendar 2026, detailing the schedule of all major examinations for the year. This includes crucial dates for exams like the Civil Services Examination (CSE), National Defence Academy (NDA), Combined Defence Services (CDS), Indian Engineering Services (IES/ESE), Indian Forest Service (IFS), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and more. Knowing the UPSC exam dates 2026 in advance will help aspirants plan their preparation and avoid missing any deadlines. Below is an overview of key highlights followed by a detailed calendar, and a special focus on the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2026 schedule.

UPSC Calendar 2026

The UPSC Calendar 2026 outlines the complete schedule of major examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. It helps aspirants plan their study timeline efficiently by providing clear information about exam dates for the Civil Services Exam (CSE), NDA, CDS, IES, IFS, and other key national-level exams. Below is a summary of the most important UPSC 2026 exam dates.

UPSC Calendar 2026 Important Dates

The following table presents the UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 with important dates for notifications, application deadlines, and exam commencement. Aspirants can use this as a ready reference for all UPSC exams in 2026-

UPSC CSE Exam 2026

The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 is one of the most anticipated exams. As per the calendar, the CSE Preliminary Exam 2026 will be held on May 24, 2026 (Sunday). The official UPSC CSE Notification 2026 will be released on January 14, 2026, and the application window will remain open until February 3, 2026. The CSE Prelims also serves as the screening test for the Indian Forest Service; candidates applying for IFS must appear for the same prelims paper. Those who qualify the prelims will move on to the CSE Main Examination 2026, which commences from August 21, 2026 (Friday). The CSE Mains spans 5 days and will include the comprehensive written papers for IAS, IPS, and other civil services.

UPSC Calendar 2026 PDF

UPSC releases the annual exam calendar as a PDF document for easy reference. Candidates can download the UPSC Calendar 2026 PDF to keep a copy of all exam dates and schedules handy. This PDF file, available on the official UPSC website, contains the exact schedule (notification dates, deadlines, and exam dates) for every exam conducted by UPSC in 2026. Aspirants are encouraged to refer to the calendar PDF regularly to stay updated on any changes or to double-check dates as they prepare for their exams. The calendar is available in English (and usually in Hindi as well) on the UPSC site. For convenience, use the direct link below to download the UPSC Exam Calendar 2026-

Download UPSC Calendar 2026 PDF

How to Download UPSC Calendar 2026

If you want to download the exam calendar directly from the official website, follow these simple steps:

1. Visit the UPSC Official Website: Go to upsc.gov.in using your web browser.
2. Navigate to the “Examinations” Section: On the UPSC homepage, find the menu for Examinations. Under this, look for an option like Calendar or Exam Calendar.
3. Find “Annual Calendar 2026”: In the Exam Calendar page, locate the link for Annual Calendar 2026 (there might be separate links for English and Hindi PDFs). It was released on May 15, 2025.
4. Download the PDF: Click on the “UPSC Annual Calendar 2026” link. The PDF will open in your browser or prompt a download. Save the file to your computer or mobile device for future reference.
5. Verify Updates: After downloading, cross-check that the PDF is the latest version (UPSC sometimes updates calendars). It’s wise to periodically visit the UPSC site to see if any revised calendar or notifications have been issued regarding date changes.

UPSC IES 2026 Exam Date

The UPSC Indian Engineering Services (IES) Examination 2026, also known as the Engineering Services Examination (ESE), will similarly have a preliminary and a main stage. The IES/ESE Prelims 2026 is slated for February 8, 2026 (Sunday) – notably, the same day as the Geo-Scientist Prelims. UPSC will issue the Engineering Services 2026 notification on September 17, 2025, and aspirants can apply until October 7, 2025. After the prelims, those who qualify will proceed to the IES Mains 2026 on June 21, 2026 (Sunday). The Mains exam for IES is typically a single-day examination comprising descriptive papers in the engineering discipline.

UPSC IFS Exam Date 2026

The Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2026 has a unique schedule intertwined with the Civil Services exam for the preliminary stage. The IFS Prelims 2026 are conducted through the CSE Preliminary Examination — meaning IFS aspirants will take the same prelims exam on May 24, 2026 as CSE aspirants. Candidates must indicate their intent for IFS while filling the CSE application form (and meet the specific IFS eligibility, like certain science backgrounds). The notification (January 14, 2026) and application deadline (February 3, 2026) for IFS prelims are the same as that of CSE.

UPSC NDA 2026 Exam Date

UPSC will conduct the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy (NDA & NA) exams in 2026 in two sessions. The first session, NDA (I) 2026, is scheduled on April 12, 2026 (Sunday). The second session, NDA (II) 2026, will be held on September 13, 2026 (Sunday). Both these dates align with the typical pattern of NDA exams (one in the first half of the year and one in the second half).

For NDA (I) 2026, UPSC will release the notification on December 10, 2025, and accept applications up to December 30, 2025. Similarly, NDA (II) 2026 will have its notification on May 20, 2026, with the application window closing on June 9, 2026. Aspirants who are in the age group of roughly 16½–19½ years (and have completed or are appearing in 10+2 exams) are eligible for NDA. This exam is the pathway to join the Army, Navy, or Air Force wings of the NDA and subsequently the Naval Academy.

UPSC CDS 2026 Exam Date

The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination 2026 will also be conducted twice in the year, and notably, the CDS exam dates coincide with the NDA exam dates in 2026. CDS (I) 2026 is set for April 12, 2026 (Sunday), and CDS (II) 2026 will fall on September 13, 2026 (Sunday). This means that on both April 12 and September 13, UPSC will be organizing two major exams (NDA and CDS) simultaneously, albeit for different candidate pools. Typically, NDA is for 10+2 level entry into armed forces, whereas CDS is for graduate level entry into Indian Military Academy (IMA), Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), and Air Force Academy (AFA).