The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has issued new guidelines.  Under these guidelines, those already selected for the civil services will not be able to take the exam again.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has made a major change to its rules. The new guidelines issued by the UPSC state that candidates who have already been selected will not be allowed to take the exam repeatedly. The eligibility guidelines state that candidates already appointed or selected as IAS or IFS officers will not be given a second chance.

UPSC releases new guidelines

The same rule applies to those selected or appointed to the Indian Police Service (IPS), meaning they will not be eligible for CSE 2026. The UPSC has implemented strict rules prohibiting IAS or IFS officers from attempting the exam again. The circular dated February 4 states, "A candidate who has been appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) based on the results of a previous examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services Examination-2026.

If a candidate is appointed to the IAS or IFS after appearing in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026, they will not be allowed to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026 if they continue to be a member of that service. This means the candidate would have to resign from their current appointment to be eligible to appear in the Mains examination. If the candidate retains membership of the previous service, they will not be considered eligible, even if they clear the CSE 2026 preliminary examination. However, the UPSC rules are less stringent for IPS appointments. If a candidate is selected for the IPS or Central Services Group 'A' based on the results of CSE-2026, they have the option to appear in CSE-2027, provided certain conditions are met.

Number of Attempts as per CSE Rules

General category candidates can make 6 attempts to clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE). The UPSC provides relaxations in the number of attempts for reserved categories. The notification states, "An attempt made in the Preliminary Examination shall be counted as an attempt made in the Civil Services Examination." Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates can make unlimited attempts in the CSE. Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates are allowed a total of 9 attempts.