The UPSC has released the notification for the Civil Services Examination 2026.  Approximately 933 vacancies will be filled through the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026. The online application process began on February 4, 2026. Candidates can apply on the commission's official website, upsconline.nic.in, until 6 PM on February 24, 2026. A graduation degree from a recognized university is mandatory for this examination.

For the Indian Forest Service, a degree in certain specific subjects is required. Regarding the age limit, candidates must be at least 21 years old and not more than 32 years old as of August 1, 2026.  Relaxations will be provided to the reserved categories as per the rules.

Foreign Nationals Also Have a Chance in the UPSC Exam
According to the new information released regarding the UPSC Civil Services Examination, people from certain other countries besides India can also take this exam and be selected for services under the Government of India. However, this facility is not available for all services.

Which Services Require Indian Citizenship?
The UPSC notification clearly states that Indian citizenship is mandatory for candidates applying for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). Foreign nationals cannot apply for these three services.

Who Can Apply for Other Services?
For central services other than IAS, IFS, and IPS, citizens of Nepal and Bhutan are also eligible, in addition to Indian citizens. Furthermore, Tibetan refugees who came to India before January 1, 1962, and people of Indian origin who have migrated from countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to settle permanently in India are also eligible to take the exam.

An Eligibility Certificate is required.
An eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India will be required for all these candidates. Permission to appear for the examination may be granted, but the appointment will only be confirmed after the certificate is issued. Candidates are advised to carefully read the UPSC CSE 2026 notification for more details.

Strict rules for taking exams while in service
The UPSC has made a major change to its rules this time. Repeated attempts at the exam while in service will no longer be allowed. Candidates will only get one chance to retake the exam while still employed in any service. To improve their rank, candidates will have to resign from their current position. Additionally, IPS officers will not be able to choose the IPS service again.

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