NEW DELHI: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), in its notification for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026, has introduced stricter rules on eligibility and attempts for the candidates already serving in the civil services.
The revised norms focus on the officers from the IAS, IPS, IFS and other Group A services, clarifying the stages at which such candidates are permitted or barred from appearing for the examination again.
The registration window for CSE 2026 is open at upsc.gov.in and will close on February 24. According to the notification, 933 vacancies will be filled through CSE 2026, down from 979 posts notified last year and 1,105 vacancies the year before.
According to the notification, candidates who were appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) through an earlier examination and continue to serve in those cadres are not eligible to appear in CSE 2026.
Further, if a candidate receives an IAS or IFS appointment after clearing the CSE 2026 preliminary examination but before the commencement of the mains, they will be barred from writing the mains.
In cases where the appointment is made after the mains examination has begun but before the final results are declared, the candidate will not be considered for allocation to any service through CSE 2026.
While similar restrictions existed earlier, the 2026 notification spells out the conditions for the Indian Police Service (IPS) in greater detail.
The UPSC has explicitly stated that candidates who have already been selected or appointed to the IPS through a previous examination will not be allowed to opt for or be allotted the IPS again based on the CSE 2026 results.
This clarification is more specific and comprehensive than in previous notifications.
The UPSC has also laid down conditions for candidates allocated to the IPS or any Central Service Group A through CSE 2026 who intend to reappear in CSE 2027.
Such candidates will be allowed to take the next examination only if they obtain a one-time exemption from joining the foundation course from the competent authority. The exemption applies solely to the foundation course, the notification clarifies.
If a candidate neither joins the training nor secures the exemption, their service allocation under CSE 2026 will stand cancelled. The commission said the revised framework aims to bring greater clarity and uniformity to eligibility rules for serving candidates across services.
To view the detailed recruitment notification, click here.