The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released its Annual Examination and Recruitment Test (RT) Calendar for the year 2027 on 20 May 2026. The calendar, available on the official website upsc.gov.in, maps out the complete schedule of notifications, application windows, and examination dates for all major UPSC competitive exams to be held between January and December 2027.
Whether you are aiming for the Civil Services Examination (IAS/IPS/IRS), the Indian Forest Service (IFS), the National Defence Academy (NDA), Combined Defence Services (CDS), Engineering Services, or any other UPSC-conducted exam, this calendar is the single most critical document for structuring your preparation.
Also Read: WBPSC Miscellaneous Notification 13/2024 OUT for Graduation Level Posts, Apply Online till 9th June
UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 — Key Highlights
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Calendar Released On | 20 May 2026 |
| Examination Year | 2027 |
| Schedule Begins | 09 January 2027 |
| Schedule Ends | 18 December 2027 |
| CSE Prelims Date | 23 May 2027 (Sunday) |
| CSE Mains Date | 20 August 2027 (Friday) |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 — Complete Official Schedule
The following table is reproduced directly from the official UPSC PDF released on 20 May 2026:
| Name of Examination | Notification Date | Last Date for Applications | Exam Date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 09 Jan 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination, 2027 | 02 Sep 2026 | 22 Sep 2026 | 10 Jan 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2027 | 16 Sep 2026 | 06 Oct 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| CBI (DSP) LDCE | 16 Dec 2026 | 05 Jan 2027 | 27 Feb 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 13 Mar 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| CISF AC(EXE) LDCE-2027 | 25 Nov 2026 | 15 Dec 2026 | 14 Mar 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I), 2027 | 02 Dec 2026 | 22 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| C.D.S. Examination (I), 2027 | 02 Dec 2026 | 22 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2027 | 13 Jan 2027 | 02 Feb 2027 | 23 May 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2027 through CS(P) Examination | 13 Jan 2027 | 02 Feb 2027 | 23 May 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Reserved for UPSC Examination | — | — | 05 Jun 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Engineering Services (Main) Examination, 2027 | — | — | 18 Jun 2027 (Fri) | 1 Day |
| I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination, 2027 | 10 Feb 2027 | 02 Mar 2027 | 18 Jun 2027 (Fri) | 3 Days |
| Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) Examination, 2027 | — | — | 19 Jun 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination, 2027 | 17 Feb 2027 | 09 Mar 2027 | 04 Jul 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Combined Medical Services Examination, 2027 | 03 Mar 2027 | 23 Mar 2027 | 18 Jul 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 31 Jul 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 07 Aug 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2027 | — | — | 20 Aug 2027 (Fri) | 5 Days |
| N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (II), 2027 | 12 May 2027 | 01 Jun 2027 | 19 Sep 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| C.D.S. Examination (II), 2027 | 12 May 2027 | 01 Jun 2027 | 19 Sep 2027 (Sun) | 1 Day |
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 25 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 16 Oct 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Reserved for UPSC Examination | — | — | 23 Oct 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2027 | — | — | 21 Nov 2027 (Sun) | 7 Days |
| Reserved for UPSC RT/Examination | — | — | 04 Dec 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
| S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE | 15 Sep 2027 | 05 Oct 2027 | 18 Dec 2027 (Sat) | 2 Days |
Exam-Wise Detailed Breakdown
1. Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2027 — IAS, IPS, IRS & Group A Services
The Civil Services Examination is the most competitive exam in India, the gateway to the IAS, IPS, IFS (Foreign Service), IRS, and over two dozen other prestigious Group A and Group B Central Services.
Notification Date: 13 January 2027 Last Date to Apply: 02 February 2027 Prelims: 23 May 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day Mains: 20 August 2027 (Friday) — 5 days
Both Prelims and Mains notification details are announced together in January. Candidates must complete their One-Time Registration (OTR) on the UPSC portal before the notification date to avoid last-minute complications.
2. Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2027
The IFS Preliminary Examination is held on the same day as the CSE Prelims, sharing the notification and application window. Candidates interested in the Indian Forest Service must opt for it while applying for CSE 2027.
Notification Date: 13 January 2027 Last Date to Apply: 02 February 2027 Prelims: 23 May 2027 (Sunday) — shared with CSE Prelims Mains: 21 November 2027 (Sunday) — 7 days
The IFS Mains is among the longest examinations in the UPSC calendar, spanning a full week.
3. N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I) 2027
The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I) is conducted for unmarried male and female candidates seeking entry into the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the NDA, and the Naval Academy.
Notification Date: 02 December 2026 Last Date to Apply: 22 December 2026 Exam Date: 11 April 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
4. C.D.S. Examination (I) 2027
The Combined Defence Services Examination (I) shares its notification, application dates, and exam date with NDA (I) 2027. It recruits officers for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA), and Officers’ Training Academy (OTA).
Notification Date: 02 December 2026 Last Date to Apply: 22 December 2026 Exam Date: 11 Apr 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
5. Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination 2027
Commonly known as IES or ESE, this exam recruits engineers across Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication streams into technical departments of the Central Government.
Notification Date: 16 September 2026 Last Date to Apply: 06 October 2026 Prelims: 31 January 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day Mains: 18 June 2027 (Friday) — 1 day
Candidates should note that the ESE notification drops as early as September 2026, making it one of the first exams to open applications for the 2027 cycle.
6. Combined Geo-Scientist Examination 2027
Notification Date: 02 September 2026 Last Date to Apply: 22 September 2026 Prelims: 10 January 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day Mains: 19 June 2027 (Saturday) — 2 days
This is the earliest exam to commence in 2027, with its Prelims on 10 January. Aspiring geologists, geophysicists, and chemists targeting Central Government scientific services must watch for the September 2026 notification.
7. I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination 2027
The Indian Economic Service and Indian Statistical Service Examination recruits specialists into economic advisory and statistical research roles within the Government of India.
Notification Date: 10 February 2027 Last Date to Apply: 02 March 2027 Exam Date: 18 June 2027 (Friday) — 3 days
8. Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination 2027
The CAPF (AC) Examination recruits Assistant Commandants for the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB — the five Central Armed Police Forces of India.
Notification Date: 17 February 2027 Last Date to Apply: 09 March 2027 Exam Date: 04 July 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
9. Combined Medical Services Examination 2027
The CMS Exam recruits medical graduates (MBBS) into the Central Health Services, railways, and other medical positions under the Government of India.
Notification Date: 03 March 2027 Last Date to Apply: 23 March 2027 Exam Date: 18 July 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
10. N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (II) and C.D.S. Examination (II) 2027
Both NDA (II) and CDS (II) share the same notification and exam date in the second half of the year.
Notification Date: 12 May 2027 Last Date to Apply: 01 June 2027 Exam Date: 19 September 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
11. CISF AC(EXE) LDCE-2027
Notification Date: 25 November 2026 Last Date to Apply: 15 December 2026 Exam Date: 14 March 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
12. CBI (DSP) LDCE
Notification Date: 16 December 2026 Last Date to Apply: 05 January 2027 Exam Date: 27 February 2027 (Saturday) — 2 days
13. S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE
The year’s final scheduled examination is the Section Officer/Stenographer Limited Departmental Competitive Examination.
Notification Date: 15 September 2027 Last Date to Apply: 05 October 2027 Exam Date: 18 December 2027 (Saturday) — 2 days
How to Download the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 PDF
- Visit the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in
- On the homepage, look for the “What’s New” or “Examinations” section
- Click on “Annual Calendar 2027” or “Programme of Examinations/RTs 2027”
- The PDF will open directly in your browser
- Click Download or use Ctrl+S / Cmd+S to save it to your device
- Take a printout and mark all critical dates on your study planner
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. When was the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 officially released?
The UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 was released on 20 May 2026, as indicated on the official PDF itself (“As on 20.05.2026”).
Q2. When is the UPSC CSE Prelims 2027?
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2027 is scheduled for 23 May 2027 (Sunday).
Q3. When is the UPSC CSE Mains 2027?
The Civil Services (Main) Examination 2027 commences on 20 August 2027 (Friday) and runs for 5 days.
Q4. When will the UPSC CSE 2027 notification be released?
The official notification for CSE (Prelims) 2027 will be released on 13 January 2027, with the last date to apply being 02 February 2027.
Q5. Which is the first UPSC exam to be held in 2027?
The Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination 2027 is the first exam scheduled, on 10 January 2027 (Sunday).
Q6. On which date are NDA (I) and CDS (I) 2027 scheduled?
Both the NDA & NA Examination (I) and the CDS Examination (I) 2027 are scheduled on 11 April 2027 (Sunday), sharing the same notification date of 02 December 2026 and application deadline of 22 December 2026.
Q7. How long is the IFS Mains 2027?
The Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination 2027 begins on 21 November 2027 and spans 7 days — the longest examination in the 2027 UPSC calendar.
Q8. What is the last UPSC exam in 2027?
The S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE, commencing on 18 December 2027 (Saturday), is the last scheduled examination in the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027.
Q9. Are the dates in the UPSC 2027 calendar final?
No. As per the official notice on the calendar itself, all dates are subject to change if circumstances warrant. Candidates must monitor upsc.gov.in regularly for any revisions.
Q10. Where can I download the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 PDF?
The official PDF is available directly at upsc.gov.in. Navigate to the Examinations section and look for “Annual Calendar 2027” or download it at: upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Calendar-Year-2027-Engl-200526.pdf
