UPSC Calendar 2027: CSE Prelims on 23 May 2027, Notification Dates and Full Exam Schedule
Quick Answer
Last updated: 26 October 2026 · Official source: upsc.gov.in. Dates from the UPSC calendar are tentative and can change; always confirm on the official website.
Civil Services Examination 2027: Key Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Calendar released | 20 May 2026 |
| CSE / IFoS notification | 13 January 2027 |
| Last date to apply | 2 February 2027 |
| CSE Prelims (also IFoS screening) | 23 May 2027 (Sunday) |
| CSE Mains | From 20 August 2027 (5 days) |
| IFoS Mains | From 21 November 2027 |
| Interview and final result | Not in the calendar; likely early to mid 2028 |
UPSC Calendar 2027: Other Major Exams
Dates below are as reported from the official UPSC Calendar 2027. Where a notification date is marked “See PDF”, refer to the calendar on upsc.gov.in.
| Examination | Notification | Last date | Exam date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Services (Prelims) & IFoS | 13 Jan 2027 | 2 Feb 2027 | 23 May 2027 |
| Engineering Services (Prelims) | See PDF | See PDF | 31 Jan 2027 |
| IES / ISS | 10 Feb 2027 | 2 Mar 2027 | See PDF |
| CAPF (Assistant Commandants) | 17 Feb 2027 | 9 Mar 2027 | 4 Jul 2027 |
| Combined Medical Services | 3 Mar 2027 | 23 Mar 2027 | 18 Jul 2027 |
| NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) | See PDF | See PDF | 11 Apr 2027 |
| NDA & NA (II) and CDS (II) | 12 May 2027 | 1 Jun 2027 | 19 Sep 2027 |
| Civil Services (Main) | — | — | From 20 Aug 2027 |
| Indian Forest Service (Main) | — | — | From 21 Nov 2027 |
How Much Time Is Left, and How to Use It
From late October 2026, aspirants have about seven months until Prelims 2027. A practical split:
- November–December 2026: Finish NCERTs and one standard book per GS subject. Start daily current affairs and weekly CSAT practice.
- January–February 2027: Complete the syllabus once. Fill the application form as soon as the notification is out; do not wait for the last day.
- March–April 2027: Revision plus full-length tests every week. Solve the last ten years of Prelims papers.
- May 2027: Revise current affairs of the past 12–18 months and keep CSAT practice going until the exam.
- After Prelims: Switch to Mains answer writing straight away; Mains starts 20 August 2027, under three months later.
UPSC Turns 100
The Union Public Service Commission completed 100 years on 1 October 2026. Its origins lie in the Public Service Commission set up on 1 October 1926 on the recommendation of the Lee Commission. This is a likely topic for Prelims 2027 and for the Essay and GS Paper II.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is UPSC Prelims 2027?
According to the UPSC Calendar 2027, the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2027 is on Sunday, 23 May 2027.
When will the UPSC CSE 2027 notification be released?
The calendar schedules it for 13 January 2027, with applications closing on 2 February 2027. In 2026 the notification actually came out on 4 February 2026, so watch upsc.gov.in from early January.
When does UPSC Mains 2027 start?
The Civil Services (Main) Examination 2027 is scheduled to start on 20 August 2027 and run for five days.
When was the UPSC Calendar 2027 released?
UPSC released its annual programme for 2027 on 20 May 2026.
Are the dates in the UPSC calendar final?
No. UPSC describes them as tentative. Notification dates in particular can shift, so always confirm on upsc.gov.in.
Related Resources on Strive Edge IAS
- CSE 2027: UPSC Notification 2027 and UPSC Syllabus 2027
- Current cycle: UPSC Mains Result 2026
- Daily practice: Daily Current Affairs for UPSC, Prelims Pinpointer and PIB Snippets
- Answer writing: Free UPSC Mains Answer Writing with model structures every day
- Previous papers: UPSC Prelims Previous Year Papers and UPSC Mains PYQs
- Books: UPSC Booklist and NCERT Books for UPSC
