CSE Exam 2026: UPSC Sets New Rule for Serving IAS, IFS, IPS Officers
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the Civil Services Exam 2026 notification with detailed guidelines, including new rule for serving IAS, IFS and IPS officers
UPSC CSE Exam 2026 Notification: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the Civil Services Exam 2026 notification with detailed guidelines, including new rule for serving IAS, IFS and IPS officers.
Serving IAS, IFS, IPS and IRS officers appear in the Civil Services Examinations to improve their rank. But, in the exam notification for the 2026 UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, the Union Public Service Commission has barred serving IAS and IFS officers from appearing in the 2026 exam.
"A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) based on the results of an earlier Examination and continues to be a member of that Service will not be eligible to appear at the Civil Services Examination-2026", the UPSC notification said.
"In case such a candidate is appointed to the IAS or IFS after the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026 is over and the candidate continues to be a member of that Service, the candidate shall not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026 notwithstanding having qualified in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026", the Commission said.
"If such a candidate is appointed to the IAS or IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026 but before the result thereof is declared by the Commission and continues to be a member of that Service, the candidate shall not be considered for appointment to any Service/Post on the basis of the result of the CSE-2026", it added.
UPSC New Rule for Servinf IPS Officers
The UPSC has also set new rule for serving IPS officers. Candidates who have already been selected or appointed to the Indian Police Service (IPS) through an earlier examination cannot opt for or be allocated IPS again through CSE 2026, the UPSC said.
"A candidate allocated to Indian Police Service or a Central Service Group 'A' on the basis of result of the CSE-2026, will have the option to appear in immediate subsequent CSE-2027", the UPSC notification said.
"Such a candidate shall be eligible to appear for the CSE-2027 if he/she is granted exemption from training for the service allocated to him/her on the basis of CSE-2026 from the Authority concerned. He/she will be eligible for grant of one-time exemption only from joining the training in order to enable him/her to appear in CSE-2027", the UPSC said.
UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 Registration
The notification said the online registration for CSE Prelim 2026 has started from February 04, 2026. The last date of application in February 24, 2026.
Candidates are required to apply online by using the website "upsconline.nic.in". This is the new website earlier launched by the UPSC.
The Preliminary Examination of the Civil Services Examination for recruitment to the Services and Posts mentioned below will be held by the Union Public Service Commission on 24th May, 2026 to fill 933 vacancies, as per the UPSC notification.
The notification for the 2026 CSE Prelims, the UPSC said number of attempts is six for general candidates, nine for OBC candidates and unlimited for SC/ST candidates.
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