The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination 2026 is nearing its end, with August 29 marking the second-to-last day of the nine-day exam that started on August 21.
Candidates are in contention for 933 vacancies this cycle across the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services, with the exam concluding on August 30.
The exam runs in two sessions each day, forenoon from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and afternoon from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, covering the Essay, General Studies papers and two optional subject papers.
Thirty-three of the 933 vacancies are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, part of UPSC’s standard reservation policy for the exam.
Roughly 10 lakh candidates apply for the Civil Services Examination each year, with only about 900 to 1,000 ultimately clearing all three stages of the selection process.
UPSC typically releases the Mains result, along with the list of candidates called for the interview stage, several months after the written exam concludes.
Aspirants have flagged the exam’s demanding nine-day format, spanning nearly two full weeks including a mid-exam gap, as one of the toughest stretches of the entire selection process.
The Mains exam covers the Essay paper, four General Studies papers, two qualifying language papers and two optional subject papers spread across the nine-day window.
Each exam day runs in two sessions, a forenoon slot from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and an afternoon slot from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, except the opening day, which was reserved solely for the Essay paper.
The UPSC released the Mains admit card on August 14, 2026, allowing candidates to download their e-admit cards using their registration ID or roll number.
Roughly 10 lakh candidates apply for the Civil Services Examination each year, with only around 900 to 1,000 ultimately selected across the IAS, IPS, IFS and other allied services.
Photo via Unsplash, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (representative exam-writing image)
