UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026
UPSC · Historical / reference cycle
Historical 2026 cycle reference. Exact dates, vacancies and eligibility are not treated as live. Verify the latest official notification before applying.
At a glance
Eligibility
Education: Post-specific; see latest official notification
Age: Check latest notification; category/post-specific relaxation may apply.
Categories: General, OBC, SC, ST
Syllabus & exam pattern
Status: Official-source structured syllabus · Verified: 2026-09-27
General Studies Paper I
- Indian Heritage & Culture
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography — physical, social and economic
- Indian Society and Diversity
- Governance and Constitution
- Polity and governance
- Social justice and welfare
- International relations
- Economic and social development
- Sustainable development
- Poverty and inclusion
- Demographics
- General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change
- General science
General Studies Paper II — CSAT
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Logical reasoning
- Analytical ability
- Decision making and problem solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy
- Data interpretation
- Class X level mathematics
Civil Services Main — Essay
- Essay writing
- Multiple dimensions of a topic
- Coherent argument and structure
- Relevant examples and evidence
- Concise expression
GS Paper I — Mains
- Indian culture
- Modern Indian history
- Freedom struggle
- Post-independence consolidation
- World history
- Indian society
- Women and population issues
- Urbanisation
- Globalisation
- Physical geography
- Natural resources
- Geophysical phenomena
GS Paper II — Mains
- Constitution
- Federalism
- Parliament and state legislatures
- Executive and judiciary
- Constitutional bodies
- Governance
- Transparency and accountability
- Civil services
- Welfare schemes
- Health and education
- Poverty and hunger
- International relations
GS Paper III — Mains
- Indian economy
- Inclusive growth
- Government budgeting
- Agriculture
- Food processing
- Land reforms
- Infrastructure
- Science and technology
- Environment
- Disaster management
- Internal security
- Cyber security
- Money laundering
- Border management
GS Paper IV — Ethics
- Ethics and human interface
- Human values
- Attitude
- Aptitude and foundational values
- Emotional intelligence
- Moral thinkers and philosophers
- Public service values
- Probity in governance
- Codes of ethics
- Case studies
Optional Subject
- One UPSC-approved optional subject
- Subject-specific Paper I
- Subject-specific Paper II
- Current official optional syllabus must be followed
Syllabus is exam-specific and can change by notification/cycle. The linked authority document remains the controlling source.
How to apply — simple student checklist
- Open the latest official notification and read the eligibility section.
- Confirm qualification, age cut-off, category relaxation and post-specific conditions.
- Check application dates, fee, correction window and the official application portal.
- Keep the required photo, signature, ID and qualification/category documents ready in the format specified in the notice.
- Fill the form only on the linked official portal; review every field before final submission.
- Download/save the submitted application, fee receipt and notification PDF.
- Later, use SarkariPrep's notification feed to find admit-card, answer-key, result and next-stage updates.
Preparation roadmap
Official source — ek jagah sab kuch
Confusion ho to pehle Latest notification kholo. Wahi vacancy, eligibility, age, dates, fees aur exam rules ka final reference hai.
Data status: Historical/reference data
Last official source check: 2026-09-27
This date records the latest successful automated check of the registered official source. It is not an expiry date; a failed source check is shown separately rather than treated as verified.
Visit UPSC official portal ↗Automatic official updates
SarkariPrep links this exam profile to the registered official-source feed. Detected notices are shown automatically after the scheduled source check; exact vacancies, dates and eligibility are only treated as verified when the official notification supports them.
- Schedule of Written Examination for Recruitment of Research Assistant in Planning Department Updated: 28/08/2026 · Recruitment · checked 2026-09-27
- Schedule of Written Examination for Recruitment of Under Secretary (Law) and Law Officers in the Law & Legislative Affairs Department New Updated: 15/09/2026 · Recruitment · checked 2026-09-27
- NOTICE PROGRAMME OF EXAMINATION FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 2026. Lower Division Assistant under the Heads of Department (July 2025) · Upcoming · checked 2026-09-27
- PROGRAMME FOR EXAMINATION. Investigator in the Directorate of Housing [March 2026] Sub Inspector of Supply in the Directorate of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs [Sep 2025] · Upcoming · checked 2026-09-27
- PROGRAMME FOR EXAMINATION. MEGHALAYA CIVIL SERVICE (MCS) [OCTOBER 2025] · Upcoming · checked 2026-09-27
Need notes or help with this exam?
Is exam ke notes, preparation material, particular notification ya kisi information ke liye directly contact karein.
Data integrity
This page is a structured historical reference and does not claim live vacancy/date accuracy.
SarkariPrep is an independent information platform, not a government department. The official notification remains the final authority.