The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official time table for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026. The exam will be held over two weekends: from 21 August 2026 to 23 August 2026, and again on 29-30 August 2026. Each day has a forenoon session (9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon) and, on most days, an afternoon session (2:30 PM to 5:30 PM).
UPSC Mains Exam Date 2026 - Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026 |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Stage | Mains (after Prelims) |
| Time Table Status | Released |
| Exam Start Date | 21 August 2026 (Friday) |
| Exam End Date | 30 August 2026 (Sunday) |
| Total Exam Days | 5 days (across two weekends) |
| Total Papers | 9 (Essay, GS I-IV, Indian Language, English, Optional Paper 1 & 2) |
| Forenoon Session Timing | 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon |
| Afternoon Session Timing | 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC Mains 2026 Important Dates (Full Schedule)
| Date & Day | Forenoon Session (9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon) | Afternoon Session (2:30 PM - 5:30 PM) |
|---|---|---|
| 21.08.2026 (Friday) | Paper-I: Essay | No Paper |
| 22.08.2026 (Saturday) | Paper-II: General Studies-I | Paper-III: General Studies-II |
| 23.08.2026 (Sunday) | Paper-IV: General Studies-III | Paper-V: General Studies-IV |
| Next weekend | ||
| 29.08.2026 (Saturday) | Paper-A: Indian Language | Paper-B: English |
| 30.08.2026 (Sunday) | Paper-VI: Optional Subject - Paper 1 | Paper-VII: Optional Subject - Paper 2 |
UPSC Mains 2026: Paper-Wise Details
Paper-I: Essay (21 August 2026)
Held on the first day in the forenoon session only. No paper is scheduled in the afternoon of this day.
Paper-II to Paper-V: General Studies I-IV (22-23 August 2026)
General Studies papers are spread across two days, with one paper each in the forenoon and afternoon sessions:
- General Studies-I - 22 August 2026, forenoon
- General Studies-II - 22 August 2026, afternoon
- General Studies-III - 23 August 2026, forenoon
- General Studies-IV - 23 August 2026, afternoon
Paper-A (Indian Language) and Paper-B (English) - 29 August 2026
These are qualifying-nature language papers scheduled on the first day of the second weekend. Paper-A covers a choice of Indian languages, and the official list includes:
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri (Bengali or Meitei Mayek Script), Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali (Devanagari or Olchiki Script), Sindhi (Devanagari or Arabic Script), Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Paper-B is the English qualifying paper, held in the afternoon session of the same day.
Paper-VI and Paper-VII: Optional Subject Papers 1 and 2 - 30 August 2026
Both optional subject papers are held on the last day of the exam. Candidates choose one optional subject, and both its papers are attempted on this day. The official list of optional subjects is:
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce & Accountancy
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science & International Relations
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Literature of any one language (Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, or English)
How to Prepare for UPSC Mains 2026
While the source notification does not include preparation guidance, candidates commonly plan revision around the confirmed exam sequence: Essay first, followed by General Studies I-IV, then a break before the Language and Optional papers in the final weekend. Candidates should verify any preparation-related claims independently, since this is outside the scope of the official time table.
Important Instructions
Beyond the paper-wise schedule and session timings shown above, no additional instructions (such as reporting time, admit card details, or exam centre rules) are available in the source document. Candidates should check the official UPSC website for the detailed notification and admit card once released.
Important Links
- Direct Link: UPSC Mains Exam Date 2026
- Official Website: upsc.gov.in