UPSC releases Civil Services Examination 2026 notification, rules changed for IAS and IPS; know what is new
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, one of the most prestigious competitive exams in the country. The commission has invited applications for a total of 933 posts, through which officers will be selected for services such as IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS. Interested candidates can apply online through the official UPSC website till February 24. This year, UPSC has introduced major and stricter changes in eligibility rules and examination attempts, which will directly affect candidates already selected for services.
Under the new rules, UPSC has clearly stated that candidates who have already been appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) based on earlier examinations and are currently in service will not be eligible to appear in the 2026 examination. The commission has also defined timelines for appointments. If a candidate is appointed after the Preliminary Examination but before the Main Examination, they will not be allowed to appear in the Mains. Similarly, if the appointment takes place after the Mains but before the final result, no service will be allotted to the candidate on the basis of the new examination.
Stricter provisions have also been introduced for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. According to the new notification, candidates who are already selected or appointed as IPS officers will not be allotted the IPS again based on the results of CSE 2026. This means that while such candidates may appear for the examination to improve their rank, they will not be eligible to opt for the IPS cadre again. The move aims to prevent repetition in service allocation.
UPSC has also added new conditions related to resignation and future attempts. Candidates selected in CSE 2025 or earlier have been given a one-time opportunity to appear in either the 2026 or 2027 examination without resigning from their current service. However, if they wish to appear in the examination from 2028 onwards, resignation from the existing service will be mandatory. In addition, candidates selected in 2026 who plan to appear again in 2027 will need prior departmental permission for exemption from training. Leaving training without approval will result in cancellation of service allocation.