UPSC Civil Services Exam 2026 Notification Released: Major Rule Changes Announced

If the appointment takes place after the main examination has commenced but before the result has been declared, the candidate will not be considered for any service.

A candidate already selected in the IPS will not be eligible for re-entry into the same service through the Civil Services Examination, 2026.

Candidates selected in the IPS or Central Group 'A' Services in the Civil Services Examination, 2026 will have the option to appear in the next year's examination upon obtaining a one-time exemption from attending training from the concerned authority.

The Civil Services Preliminary Examination will be held on May 24. The UPSC has made face authentication mandatory for all candidates at examination centers and has imposed strict eligibility restrictions for candidates already appointed in certain services.

These changes were announced in the notification issued for the Civil Services Examination, 2026. The Commission has announced 933 vacancies for this year's recruitment process.

Of these, 33 posts are reserved for candidates with special disabilities. This prestigious examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages – Preliminary, Main, and Interview.

It selects officers for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service, among others.

The UPSC has stated that to ensure a safe and smooth examination, all candidates will be required to undergo mandatory facial recognition at the examination venue.

Candidates are advised to reach the examination venue well in advance for facial recognition/verification and frisking.

Applicants are advised to use their Aadhaar card as their identity proof for easy and seamless verification of identity and other details.