New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission has released its annual examination calendar for 2027, giving lakhs of aspirants a clear timeline for major recruitment tests, including Civil Services, Indian Forest Service, NDA, CDS, Engineering Services, CAPF and other national level examinations.
The calendar was uploaded on the official UPSC website on May 20, 2026. According to the schedule, the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2027 will be held on May 23, 2027. The notification for the exam will be issued on January 13, 2027, while the last date to submit applications will be February 2, 2027.
The Indian Forest Service Preliminary Examination 2027 will also be conducted through the Civil Services Preliminary Examination on the same date. For Civil Services aspirants, this marks the first major milestone of the 2027 recruitment cycle.
The Civil Services Main Examination 2027 is scheduled to begin on August 20, 2027. UPSC has mentioned that the Mains examination will continue for five days. Candidates who qualify the Preliminary stage will be eligible to appear for the written Main examination, followed by the personality test stage.
The annual calendar also includes other key recruitment examinations. The Combined Geo Scientist Preliminary Examination 2027 will be held on January 10, while the Engineering Services Preliminary Examination is scheduled for January 31. The NDA and NA Examination 1 and CDS Examination 1 will be held on April 11, 2027.
For defence aspirants, the second editions of NDA and NA Examination and CDS Examination will be conducted on September 19, 2027. The Central Armed Police Forces Assistant Commandants Examination is scheduled for July 4, while the Combined Medical Services Examination will be held on July 18.
The release of the calendar is significant for candidates because it allows them to plan their preparation, revision, test series and application process well in advance. For Civil Services aspirants, the gap between notification, Prelims and Mains will be crucial for disciplined preparation.
UPSC has also added a note that dates of notification, commencement and duration of examinations may be changed if circumstances require. Candidates have therefore been advised to keep checking the official UPSC website for updates.
With the 2027 calendar now available, aspirants have received an early roadmap for one of India’s toughest examination cycles. For many, the countdown to UPSC 2027 has officially begun.