Applications closed in February 2026
Online applications opened on 4 February 2026 on upsconline.nic.in. The notice set the last date as 24 February 2026 (6 PM), and UPSC’s exam page shows it was extended to 27 February 2026 (6 PM). Applications were accepted online only. Once submitted, an application could not be withdrawn, and no field could be corrected or changed. Candidates who qualified the Prelims then had a separate window (19–29 June 2026) to pay the Mains fee and update their details. For the next cycle, UPSC’s 2027 calendar lists the CSE 2027 notice on 13 January 2027 and the last date on 2 February 2027, both tentative.
Apply only through upsconline.nic.in. Before you start, have a valid email ID and mobile number, a photo ID card, your date-of-birth and degree details, any category or disability certificate you will claim, a recent photograph, a webcam or phone for the live photo and a sheet with your signature written three times. That way you can finish in one sitting.
How to apply online
- Read the instructions firstOn upsconline.nic.in, go through the general instructions, the module-wise instructions and the document-upload instructions under “Instructions and FAQs” before you fill anything.
- Create your account & URNRegister once to get a Universal Registration Number (URN). It is generated only once in your lifetime and stays the same for every UPSC exam. You get a one-time facility to modify the URN profile, but changes don’t apply to applications already submitted.
- Fill the Common Application FormEnter your date of birth, qualification and category details. Upload your photograph and capture a live photograph, and upload a sheet with your signature written three times, one below the other, in black ink on plain white paper.
- Fill the exam-specific moduleChoose your Prelims centre and give your Mains centre, optional subject, medium of the Mains exam and compulsory Indian language. These can’t be changed once this form is submitted. PwBD candidates also give their scribe details here.
- Pay the feePay ₹100 by net banking, Visa/Master/RuPay credit or debit card, or UPI, unless you are exempt (women, SC, ST, PwBD). An application without the fee, where no exemption is claimed, is rejected.
- Submit & save your numbersOn submission an Application Number is generated for this exam. Keep it with your URN for all future communication with UPSC. The application can’t be withdrawn or edited after this.
Documents & details required
The four form modules
UPSC’s portal has four modules. Three of them (account creation, Universal Registration and the Common Application Form) are common to all UPSC exams and can be filled at any time. The fourth is specific to the exam and can be filled only while its application window is open. The notice doesn’t print file sizes or pixel dimensions. Those are given on upsconline.nic.in under “Instructions and FAQs > Instruction for filling the form > Photos and Signature”.
| Module | What you fill | Can you change it later? |
|---|---|---|
| Account creation | A valid, active email ID (UPSC may contact you by email) | — |
| Universal Registration (URN) | Personal details and one photo ID card | One-time modification; doesn’t affect applications already submitted |
| Common Application Form | Date of birth, qualification, category, photograph, live photo, signature | Date of birth can never be changed once recorded |
| Exam-specific module | Centres, optional subject, Mains medium, compulsory Indian language, fee, scribe | No change after submission |
Exam centres are allotted on a “first-apply-first-allot” basis. Every centre has a ceiling except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata and Nagpur, and once a centre is full it is no longer offered to non-PwBD candidates (PwBD candidates can still choose it). No request to change a centre is accepted afterwards, so apply early. If you are in government service, tell your Head of Office in writing that you have applied, because you have to give an undertaking that you did.
Application fee
Prepare for UPSC Prelims with your own daily plan
Daily targets, practice mocks & PYQ practice sets — mapped to the GS Paper I and CSAT syllabus.
Applied — now start preparing
Filling the form takes an hour, but preparing for the Prelims takes months. Start a plan well before the CSE 2027 window opens.
Day-one plan
A daily schedule mapped to the GS Paper I and CSAT syllabus.
PYQ practice sets
Practice sets in the app’s PYQ section.
Practice mocks
Timed practice mocks from the app’s mock catalogue.
Date alerts
Notice, e-admit card and result reminders.
