Role to investigateSource-checked · reviewed 31 Oct 20266 sources cited

Civil Services Examination (UPSC)

Investigate the UPSC Civil Services Examination: who can sit, the fees, the stages, the services it fills, and what the rules print about pay and training.

At a glance

For youChoose a qualificationChoose your degree on the Explore page to see what the sources say for you.
Cost3 sourcedApplicants other than Female/SC/ST/PwBD pay Rs. 100 to appear in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026, paid online.
Pay1 sourcedSchedule III (Pay Matrix, w.e.f. 01.01.2016) shows 56100 as the first value in the Level 10 column.
Hours4 sourcedUPSC checks eligibility documents only after a candidate qualifies for the Interview, so ineligibility can surface late.
Employers ask12 sourcedThe Civil Services Examination asks for a graduate degree of any recognised university or an equivalent qualification…

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 6 sources · next review 20 Nov 2026

Cost, pay and hours

As sourced

1
Extra cost3 sourced
- Applicants other than Female/SC/ST/PwBD pay Rs. 100 to appear in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026, paid online.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  per attempt
  Appearing in Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026
  excludes Main Examination fee (separate)
  bank or payment charges not mentioned
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
  the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
  A newer cycle (CSE 2027) is listed in the UPSC 2027 calendar but its notice was not yet published on 31 Oct 2026.
  Show 1 moreShow fewer
  Fee is for the Preliminary stage only.
  Note:
  Does not cover the Main Examination fee
  says nothing about coaching or other costs of preparing
  a 2027 fee is not yet published.
- Candidates admitted to the Main Examination pay a further Rs. 200, except exempted categories, in a window after the Preliminary result.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  per attempt
  Admission to Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026
  excludes Preliminary fee
  interview-stage costs not mentioned
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
  the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
  Fee is for the Main stage only; the Interview/Personality Test fee is not mentioned.
  Note:Not a total cost of the exam; does not include travel, preparation or coaching.
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Female, SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disability candidates are exempted from the fee
  all other candidates (General, EWS, OBC) pay it.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  per attempt
  Preliminary and Main fee for Female/SC/ST/PwBD
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
  the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
  Exempt categories as printed: Female, SC, ST, PwBD.
  Note:Does not say OBC or EWS get any fee concession (none is printed).
2
Pay1 sourced
- Schedule III (Pay Matrix, w.e.f. 01.01.2016) shows 56100 as the first value in the Level 10 column.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  period not stated in the table
  Level 10 first cell, Pay Matrix w.e.f. 01.01.2016
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:Seventh Pay Commission matrix, as printed in the Gazette copy.
  Note:
  Does not say the figure is monthly (the table does not state the period)
  does not add DA, HRA or any allowance
  not confirmed against an 8th Pay Commission revision.
  Show 1 moreShow fewer
  Excludes all allowances; any later revision.
3
Shifts & hours4 sourced
- UPSC checks eligibility documents only after a candidate qualifies for the Interview, so ineligibility can surface late.
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
  the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
  Note:Does not say how many candidates are removed at that stage.
- UPSC states 13,343 candidates were shortlisted for the 2026 Main against 1016 vacancies notified for CSE 2026.
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  CSE 2026 Preliminary result (18 June 2026).
  Numbers as printed; no ratio is computed here.
  Note:Does not give the number of applicants or the number finally selected.
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Wrong answers in the Preliminary objective papers carry a one-third mark penalty.
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
  the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
  Note:Applies to Preliminary only.
- Candidates who want the IAS or IPS must indicate a home cadre preference
  service allocation follows rank and preferences.
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
  the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
  Posting wording at the allocation stage only.
  Note:Does not say hours, shifts or on-call duty; says nothing about transfers after joining.

Reality check

From the sources

The work

The Preliminary is only a screening test whose marks do not count toward the final order of merit, the Main written test totals 1750 marks and the Personality Test 275.
Training for IAS officers is described on LBSNAA pages.
Not established: day-to-day work, because no primary job description was found.

Entry requirements

The notice asks for a graduate degree of any recognised university or an equivalent qualification
no subject is named, and B.A. and B.Sc. are not named.
Candidates who intend to appear in the final degree examination may sit the written part.
Age is 21 to 32 on 1 August 2026, with relaxations, and each eligible candidate has six attempts, with relaxations for some categories.

Trade-offs to consider

Selection is competitive: UPSC states 13,343 candidates were shortlisted for the 2026 Main against 1016 vacancies.
Wrong answers in the Preliminary carry a one-third mark penalty, and UPSC checks eligibility documents only after a candidate qualifies for the Interview.
Not established: hours and shifts, and pay for the services other than the IAS.

Skills & employers

From the sources

Skills to investigate

General studies
Writing
Examination stamina

Employers named in sourcesNone recorded.

Study or credential needed

The Main Examination includes qualifying papers in an Indian language and in English, set at Matriculation level, whose marks are not counted for ranking.
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
Qualifying, mandatory for the Main stage.
Note:No licence or separate certificate beyond the exam itself is required.

What employers ask for

12 sourced

The Civil Services Examination asks for a graduate degree of any recognised university or an equivalent qualification; no subject is named.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
- The notice does not list BA, B.Sc or any other degree by name and sets no marks cut-off.
Not established:
- Does not say B.A. or B.Sc is named
- does not give a minimum percentage
- "equivalent qualification" is decided by the Commission and Government.
- Candidates who have appeared, or intend to appear, at the qualifying degree examination are eligible for the written part
- proof of passing is needed if they qualify for interview.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
- Final-year students may apply
Show 1 moreShow fewer
proof of passing must be produced within the time limit in Rule 13 of CSE 2026 if called for interview.
Not established:Does not state the date by which proof must be produced (it points to Rule 13).
The age band is 21 to 32 on 1 August 2026 (born between 2 Aug 1994 and 1 Aug 2005).
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026). General category upper age.
Not established:Does not apply to later cycles; the 2027 band will be set in the 2027 notice.

Show 9 more

The upper age limit is relaxable by up to five years for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
Not established:Does not give the resulting age in years.
The upper age limit is relaxable by up to three years for OBC candidates eligible for reservation.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
Not established:
- Does not give the resulting age
- PwBD, ex-servicemen and other relaxations are in the same paragraph.
Persons with Benchmark Disabilities get up to ten years of upper-age relaxation.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
- Subject to meeting the physical and medical standards of the service allotted.
Not established:
- Does not say every service is open to every disability
- a list of identified services is in the notice.
Every eligible candidate is permitted six attempts at the CSE, with relaxation for SC/ST/OBC and PwBD.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026). General and EWS rule.
Not established:Does not say attempts expire with age; the age limit still applies.
Appearing in even one Preliminary paper counts as an attempt.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
Not established:Does not say a form submitted but not used counts.
The notice lists 23 services and posts, led by the IAS, the IFS and the IPS, then Group A central services and Group B services.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
- Group A includes IRS (Customs & Indirect Taxes), IRS (Income Tax), Indian Postal Service, Indian Railway Management Services and others
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Group B includes DANICS, DANIPS, PONDICS, PONDIPS and the AFHQ Civil Service.
Not established:Does not say how many of the vacancies go to each service.
- The notice expects about 933 vacancies including 33 reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disability
- the final number may change.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
- Vacancy count at notice date.
Not established:The final count may differ; the later press note cites 1016 for the same exam.
IAS trainees must show proficiency in the regional language of the allotted State during Phase-I.
Source: Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration ↗Not established:Does not say whether failing it blocks confirmation (the page does not say).
The UPSC 2027 calendar lists the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2027 for 23.05.2027 and the Main for 20.08.2027.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Newer-cycle check: calendar "as on 20.05.2026".
- The notification and last-date columns for this row are printed on the adjoining line (13.01.2027 and 02.02.2027) and the text layout is ambiguous, so confirm them on the PDF.
Not established:Dates are liable to alteration per the calendar note; no CSE 2027 notice exists yet.

The work and what comes next

7 sourced

The work, from the sources

- The Preliminary Examination is only a screening test
- its marks do not count toward the final order of merit.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
Not established:Does not give the Preliminary cut-off.
The Main stage admits about twelve to thirteen times the number of vacancies, and about twice the vacancies go to the interview.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
Not established:Admission ratios, not success rates.

Show 2 more

The Main written test totals 1750 marks and the Personality Test carries 275 marks, for a grand total of 2025.
Source: Union Public Service Commission ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
- the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
- Nine written papers, two qualifying in nature.
Not established:Does not state cut-offs.
LBSNAA says the Foundation Course is for officer trainees of the IAS, IPS, Indian Forest Service, IFS and various Group A central services.
Source: Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration ↗Not established:Does not give the pay or stipend; the next sentence in the same paragraph lists the other services.

What can come next

The Indian Administrative Service (Pay) Rules, 2016 place the IAS Junior Scale at Level 10 of the Pay Matrix.
Source: Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India (Gazette copy hosted on thc.nic.in) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- IAS only (one of 23 services in the CSE notice)
- Gazette G.S.R. 870(E) dated 8 Sep 2016, deemed in force 1 Jan 2016.
- Copy hosted on a government site (thc.nic.in), not DoPT.
Not established:
- Does not give the rupee amount (that is in Schedule III)
- does not cover IFS, IPS, IRS or other CSE services
- later pay revisions, if any, were not checked.
The initial pay of a direct recruit to the IAS is fixed at the first Cell of Level 10 of the Pay Matrix.
Source: Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India (Gazette copy hosted on thc.nic.in) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- IAS direct recruits (those appointed through the Civil Services Examination). Same Gazette copy.
- The sentence continues "the Level 10 of Pay Matrix" (text layer prints it as "Level 1 0").
Not established:
- Does not say what is paid during Foundation Course or training
- no allowances, deductions or take-home are given.

Show 1 more

- Level 11 is the Senior Time Scale
- IAS officers become eligible for it on completing four years of service, subject to the rules.
Source: Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India (Gazette copy hosted on thc.nic.in) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- IAS only; Gazette copy hosted on thc.nic.in.
- Higher scales (Levels 12 to 18) are listed in the same rule.
Not established:Eligibility is not promotion; the guidelines on promotion are not in this document.

Sources and unanswered questions

UPSC, the Department of Personnel and Training and LBSNAA documents, checked on 31 October 2026 · India · the 2026 notice is closed and no 2027 notice was out; pay is established only for the IAS.
Source checking confirms only the scoped statements on this page, not anyone’s individual eligibility.
Confirm current requirements with the employer or programme.

Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE: Civil Services Examination, 2026 ↗Union Public Service Commission · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE dated 04.02.2026
the cycle is closed for applications (last date 24.02.2026).
A newer cycle (CSE 2027) is listed in the UPSC 2027 calendar but its notice was not yet published on 31 Oct 2026.
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Fee is for the Preliminary stage only.
Not established:
- Does not cover the Main Examination fee
- says nothing about coaching or other costs of preparing
- a 2027 fee is not yet published.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Indian Administrative Service (Pay) Rules, 2016 (G.S.R. 870(E), Gazette of India Extraordinary) ↗Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India (Gazette copy hosted on thc.nic.in) · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
IAS only (one of 23 services in the CSE notice)
Gazette G.S.R. 870(E) dated 8 Sep 2016, deemed in force 1 Jan 2016.
Copy hosted on a government site (thc.nic.in), not DoPT.
Not established:
- Does not give the rupee amount (that is in Schedule III)
- does not cover IFS, IPS, IRS or other CSE services
- later pay revisions, if any, were not checked.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Press Note: Result of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 ↗Union Public Service Commission · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
CSE 2026 Preliminary result (18 June 2026).
Numbers as printed; no ratio is computed here.
Not established:Does not give the number of applicants or the number finally selected.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Foundation Course ↗Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration · accessed 31 Oct 2026Not established:Does not give the pay or stipend; the next sentence in the same paragraph lists the other services.Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
IAS Phase-I ↗Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration · accessed 31 Oct 2026Not established:Does not say whether failing it blocks confirmation (the page does not say).Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Programme of Examinations/Recruitment Tests (RTs) - 2027 ↗Union Public Service Commission · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
Newer-cycle check: calendar "as on 20.05.2026".
The notification and last-date columns for this row are printed on the adjoining line (13.01.2027 and 02.02.2027) and the text layout is ambiguous, so confirm them on the PDF.
Not established:Dates are liable to alteration per the calendar note; no CSE 2027 notice exists yet.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.

Your next step: Read the current notice for the age limit, number of attempts and the list of services, and check the date of the next Preliminary on UPSC's calendar.

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