The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released its annual examination calendar for the year 2026.

As per the schedule, the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, one of the most sought-after competitive exams in the country, will be conducted on May 24, 2026 (Sunday), while the Mains examination will begin on August 21, 2026 (Friday) and continue for five days.

The official notification for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) will be issued on January 14, 2026, and candidates can submit their applications until February 3, 2026.

The schedule also includes dates for other major examinations conducted by the commission.

The Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination (I) and the National Defence Academy & Naval Academy (NDA & NA) Examination (I) will be held on April 12, 2026 (Sunday). Notifications for both will be released on December 10, 2025, with the last date to apply being December 30, 2025.

Here are some other key exams as per the UPSC 2026 calendar:

• Engineering Services (Preliminary): February 8, 2026
  
  

• Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary): February 8, 2026
  
  

• Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) through CSE: May 24, 2026
  
  

• Central Armed Police Forces (ACs): July 19, 2026
  
  

• CDS Examination (II): September 13, 2026
  
  

• NDA & NA Examination (II): September 13, 2026
  
  

• Indian Forest Service (Main): November 22, 2026
  

The commission has also marked several weekends as “Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination,” indicating potential slots for recruitment tests or other examinations to be notified later.