UPSC Annual Calendar 2027: Complete Schedule of Civil Services, NDA, CDS, ESE, CAPF & CMS Exams
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the Annual Programme of Examinations / Recruitment Tests for the year 2027 on 20 May 2026. The calendar covers 27 scheduled exams, including the marquee Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2027, NDA & NA (I) and (II), CDS (I) and (II), Engineering Services (ESE), CAPF Assistant Commandants, Combined Medical Services (CMS), IES/ISS, Combined Geo-Scientist, Indian Forest Service, and several reserved Recruitment Test (RT) slots. For lakhs of aspirants preparing for UPSC jobs, this calendar is the single most important planning document of the year.
If you are aiming for any UPSC exam in 2027, this article gives you every official date in one place — notification release date, last date to apply, and the exam date. The CSE Prelims 2027 is scheduled for 23 May 2027, NDA & CDS (I) on 11 April 2027, and the Engineering Services Prelims on 31 January 2027. Read this full guide carefully and bookmark it on GovtJobsAlert.in so you don’t miss any notification window through 2026-27.
Key Highlights — UPSC Exam Calendar 2027 Released on 20 May 2026
The UPSC publishes its annual calendar a year in advance so aspirants can plan their preparation, leave applications, coaching cycles, and mock test schedules. The 2027 calendar was uploaded on the Commission’s portal on 20 May 2026 and lists every exam from January 2027 through December 2027. Dates are advisory and the Commission has noted that they remain “liable to alteration, if the circumstances so warrant”.
- Calendar Released On: 20 May 2026
- Total Exams Listed: 27 (including 9 reserved Recruitment Test slots)
- First Exam of 2027: Reserved UPSC RT on 09 January 2027
- Flagship Exam — CSE Prelims 2027: 23 May 2027 (Sunday)
- Last Exam of 2027: S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE on 18 December 2027
- Issuing Authority: Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi
UPSC 2027 Examination Schedule — Full Calendar (Notification Date & Exam Date)
Below is the complete UPSC 2027 calendar in one mobile-friendly table. Notification dates marked “—” are reserved RT slots where the Commission has not yet announced a notification window. The actual notification PDFs will be uploaded to the UPSC portal on the dates shown — keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for instant alerts.
| Exam Name | Notification Date | Exam Date |
|---|---|---|
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 09 Jan 2027 (Sat) |
| Combined Geo-Scientist (Prelims) 2027 | 02 Sep 2026 | 10 Jan 2027 (Sun) |
| Engineering Services (Prelims) 2027 | 16 Sep 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 (Sun) |
| CBI (DSP) LDCE | 16 Dec 2026 | 27 Feb 2027 (Sat) |
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 13 Mar 2027 (Sat) |
| CISF AC (EXE) LDCE 2027 | 25 Nov 2026 | 14 Mar 2027 (Sun) |
| NDA & NA Examination (I) 2027 | 02 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 (Sun) |
| CDS Examination (I) 2027 | 02 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 (Sun) |
| Civil Services (Prelims) 2027 | 13 Jan 2027 | 23 May 2027 (Sun) |
| Indian Forest Service (Prelims) 2027 | 13 Jan 2027 | 23 May 2027 (Sun) |
| Reserved UPSC Examination | — | 05 Jun 2027 (Sat) |
| Engineering Services (Main) 2027 | — | 18 Jun 2027 (Fri) |
| IES / ISS Examination 2027 | 10 Feb 2027 | 18 Jun 2027 (Fri) |
| Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) 2027 | — | 19 Jun 2027 (Sat) |
| CAPF (Assistant Commandants) 2027 | 17 Feb 2027 | 04 Jul 2027 (Sun) |
| Combined Medical Services 2027 | 03 Mar 2027 | 18 Jul 2027 (Sun) |
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 31 Jul 2027 (Sat) |
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 07 Aug 2027 (Sat) |
| Civil Services (Main) 2027 | — | 20 Aug 2027 (Fri) |
| NDA & NA Examination (II) 2027 | 12 May 2027 | 19 Sep 2027 (Sun) |
| CDS Examination (II) 2027 | 12 May 2027 | 19 Sep 2027 (Sun) |
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 25 Sep 2027 (Sat) |
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 16 Oct 2027 (Sat) |
| Reserved UPSC Examination | — | 23 Oct 2027 (Sat) |
| Indian Forest Service (Main) 2027 | — | 21 Nov 2027 (Sun) |
| Reserved UPSC RT | — | 04 Dec 2027 (Sat) |
| S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE | 15 Sep 2027 | 18 Dec 2027 (Sat) |
UPSC Civil Services Examination 2027 — Key Dates & Stages
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2027 is the gateway to IAS, IPS, IFS and 20+ Group A & B central services. The Indian Forest Service (Main) is conducted through the same Civil Services (Prelims). If you are a graduate looking for a career in administration, CSE is the most prestigious exam on the calendar.
- CSE Notification Release: 13 January 2027
- Last Date to Apply: 02 February 2027
- CSE Prelims Exam Date: 23 May 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
- CSE Main Exam Date: 20 August 2027 (Friday) — 5 days
- Indian Forest Service (Main): 21 November 2027 (Sunday) — 7 days
The application window is roughly 3 weeks (13 Jan — 02 Feb 2027), so keep your documents, photograph, signature, and category certificate ready in advance. The Prelims-to-Main gap is about 3 months, and Main-to-Personality Test typically extends into early 2028.
NDA & NA + CDS 2027 — Defence Exam Calendar
The Commission conducts two cycles each of NDA & NA and CDS — these are the most popular defence jobs for school-leavers and graduates respectively. Both cycles use a shared notification and exam date within each cycle.
NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) 2027
- Notification Date: 02 December 2026
- Last Date to Apply: 22 December 2026
- Exam Date: 11 April 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
NDA & NA (II) and CDS (II) 2027
- Notification Date: 12 May 2027
- Last Date to Apply: 01 June 2027
- Exam Date: 19 September 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
NDA is open to unmarried male and female candidates who have passed or are appearing in 12th (10+2) with Physics & Mathematics for Army/Navy/Air Force wings — see all 12th pass govt jobs for similar opportunities. CDS is for graduates targeting IMA, INA, AFA and OTA.
UPSC ESE, IES/ISS & Combined Geo-Scientist 2027 — Engineering & Statistical Services
The Engineering Services Examination (ESE) is the dream exam for B.Tech graduates targeting Group A officer posts in central engineering services like CES, IRSE, IRSEE, IRSME, IRSSE, CPES, P&T, and CWES. The Combined Geo-Scientist exam fills Geologist, Geophysicist, Chemist and Junior Hydrogeologist posts in GSI and CGWB.
- ESE Prelims 2027: Notification 16 Sep 2026 / Last Date 06 Oct 2026 / Exam 31 January 2027 (Sun) — for engineering graduates
- ESE Main 2027: Exam 18 June 2027 (Friday) — 1 day
- Combined Geo-Scientist (Prelims) 2027: Notification 02 Sep 2026 / Last Date 22 Sep 2026 / Exam 10 January 2027 (Sun)
- Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) 2027: Exam 19 June 2027 (Saturday) — 2 days
- IES / ISS Examination 2027: Notification 10 Feb 2027 / Last Date 02 Mar 2027 / Exam 18 June 2027 (Friday) — 3 days
The Indian Economic Service / Indian Statistical Service (IES/ISS) is a 3-day exam recruiting Group A officers for economic and statistical posts. Keep an eye on the UPSC jobs page for the live notifications.
UPSC CAPF (Assistant Commandants) 2027 — Key Dates
The CAPF Assistant Commandants Examination recruits Group A officers for the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. It is a single-day written exam followed by a physical efficiency test, medical and interview.
- Notification Date: 17 February 2027
- Last Date to Apply: 09 March 2027
- Exam Date: 04 July 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
- Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree (any discipline) with age 20–25 years (relaxations as per rules)
Aspirants should prepare alongside CDS and NDA candidates since the syllabus overlap is significant for general studies and English sections. See more defence jobs for related opportunities.
UPSC Combined Medical Services (CMS) 2027 — Key Dates
The Combined Medical Services Examination is conducted for MBBS doctors to fill posts as Assistant Divisional Medical Officer (Railways), Junior Scale Posts in CHS, Assistant Medical Officer in Ordnance Factories, and General Duty Medical Officer in MCD/NDMC.
- Notification Date: 03 March 2027
- Last Date to Apply: 23 March 2027
- Exam Date: 18 July 2027 (Sunday) — 1 day
- Eligibility: MBBS with internship completion — see medical & healthcare govt jobs
CMS 2027 is a great option for doctors looking at a stable central government posting with a strong service ladder.
How to Prepare — Notification Watch & Application Strategy
Treat this calendar as your master planning document for the next 18 months. Print it, paste it on your study desk, and align your preparation phases to the exam dates.
- Mark the notification dates in your phone calendar with a 7-day advance reminder — these are when the detailed PDFs drop on the UPSC portal.
- Keep your documents ready: scanned photograph (recent), signature, category certificate, education certificates, ID proof, and a valid payment method.
- Apply on Day 1 of the window wherever possible — UPSC’s One Time Registration (OTR) portal can get slow near the last date.
- Build a 3-phase prep cycle for each exam: foundation (4-6 months out), revision (2-3 months out), full-length mocks (last 4-6 weeks).
- Track changes — UPSC reserves the right to alter dates. Subscribe to GovtJobsAlert.in and the official Telegram channel for instant alerts.
- Plan across exams — many aspirants attempt CSE + CDS + CAPF + IFS together; the calendar lets you map overlapping study windows.
Aspirants can also check the consolidated exam calendar page and syllabus references for stage-wise preparation guidance.
Important Dates Summary — UPSC Exam Calendar 2027
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Calendar Released | 20 May 2026 |
| First Notification (Geo-Scientist Prelims) | 02 Sep 2026 |
| NDA & CDS (I) Notification | 02 Dec 2026 |
| CSE & IFS Prelims Notification | 13 Jan 2027 |
| Engineering Services Prelims Exam | 31 Jan 2027 |
| NDA & CDS (I) Exam | 11 Apr 2027 |
| CSE / IFS Prelims Exam | 23 May 2027 |
| ESE Main / IES-ISS Exam | 18 Jun 2027 |
| CAPF (AC) Exam | 04 Jul 2027 |
| CMS Exam | 18 Jul 2027 |
| CSE Main Exam | 20 Aug 2027 |
| NDA & CDS (II) Exam | 19 Sep 2027 |
| IFS Main Exam | 21 Nov 2027 |
| Last Exam of 2027 (SO/Steno LDCE) | 18 Dec 2027 |
Eligibility Reference — UPSC 2027 Exam Standard Norms
Eligibility differs across exams; the full criteria will appear in each detailed notification. Below is a quick reference based on the Commission’s standard norms — always verify against the actual PDF when it releases.
- CSE 2027: Bachelor’s degree, age 21–32 years as on 01 August 2027 (relaxations for OBC/SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-Servicemen)
- NDA 2027: 12th pass (or appearing), unmarried, age 16.5–19.5 years at course commencement
- CDS 2027: Graduate (Engineering for IMA/INA/AFA, any degree for OTA), age 19–25 years
- ESE 2027: Engineering degree in Civil / Mechanical / Electrical / Electronics & Telecom, age 21–30 years
- CAPF (AC) 2027: Bachelor’s degree, age 20–25 years
- CMS 2027: MBBS with internship, age max 32 years (varies by service)
- IES/ISS 2027: Post-graduate in Economics / Statistics / equivalent, age 21–30 years
- Combined Geo-Scientist 2027: M.Sc. in Geology / Geophysics / Chemistry / Hydrogeology, age 21–32 years
Detailed category-wise relaxations, qualifying degrees and pay matrices will appear in each notification PDF — bookmark GovtJobsAlert.in for stage-wise breakdowns when each notification releases.
Essential Links — UPSC Exam Calendar 2027
- Download UPSC Exam Calendar 2027 PDF
- Visit UPSC Official Website
- Check All UPSC Jobs & Notifications
- Browse Defence Jobs 2026-27
- See Engineering Govt Jobs
- View Exam Calendar & Schedules
- Syllabus & Preparation Strategy
- Join WhatsApp Channel for Government Jobs
- Join Telegram Channel for Government Jobs
The UPSC 2027 calendar is your roadmap for the next 18 months — every serious aspirant should print it, plan backwards from each exam date, and start preparing today. Don’t wait for the notification to drop; the early months are the best time to build concept clarity. Mark 13 January 2027 for CSE notification and 23 May 2027 for the Prelims on your calendar right now. Keep visiting GovtJobsAlert.in for live notification updates, eligibility deep-dives, and stage-wise preparation guides for every UPSC exam in 2027.