UPSC Calendar 2027 Released — Check All Exam Dates, Notification & Application Schedule
Three dates to circle right now: Civil Services Prelims on 23 May 2027, NDA & CDS (I) on 11 April 2027, and Engineering Services Prelims on 31 January 2027. The UPSC Calendar 2027, released on 20 May 2026, fixes the entire year for lakhs of aspirants — 27 scheduled entries covering every major examination plus reserved slots for Recruitment Tests. Planning backward from these dates is how serious preparation starts, and the official PDF sits on the UPSC exam calendar page.
The calendar covers 27 entries in total: major examinations with their notification dates and last dates for applications, plus reserved slots for UPSC Recruitment Tests (RTs) and departmental examinations like CBI DSP LDCE and CISF AC (EXE) LDCE. As always, the Commission has added its standard note that dates are liable to alteration if circumstances warrant.
UPSC Calendar 2027 — Quick Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Calendar Released On | 20 May 2026 |
| Total Scheduled Entries | 27 (examinations + reserved RT slots) |
| First Exam of 2027 | Combined Geo-Scientist Prelims — 10 January 2027 |
| Biggest Exam (Civil Services Prelims) | 23 May 2027 |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
| Application Portal | upsconline.nic.in |
UPSC Calendar 2027 — Complete Exam Schedule
Here is the full 2027 programme of examinations exactly as published by the Commission, with notification dates, application closing dates, and the date of commencement for every examination:
| Sr. | Examination | Notification Date | Last Date to Apply | Exam Date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) 2027 | 02.09.2026 | 22.09.2026 | 10.01.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 3 | Engineering Services (Preliminary) 2027 | 16.09.2026 | 06.10.2026 | 31.01.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 4 | CBI (DSP) LDCE | 16.12.2026 | 05.01.2027 | 27.02.2027 (Saturday) | 2 Days |
| 6 | CISF AC (EXE) LDCE 2027 | 25.11.2026 | 15.12.2026 | 14.03.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 7 | N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (I), 2027 | 02.12.2026 | 22.12.2026 | 11.04.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 8 | C.D.S. Examination (I), 2027 | 02.12.2026 | 22.12.2026 | 11.04.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 9 | Civil Services (Preliminary) 2027 | 13.01.2027 | 02.02.2027 | 23.05.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 10 | Indian Forest Service (Prelims) via CS(P) 2027 | 13.01.2027 | 02.02.2027 | 23.05.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 12 | Engineering Services (Main) 2027 | — | — | 18.06.2027 (Friday) | 1 Day |
| 13 | I.E.S./I.S.S. Examination 2027 | 10.02.2027 | 02.03.2027 | 18.06.2027 (Friday) | 3 Days |
| 14 | Combined Geo-Scientist (Main) 2027 | — | — | 19.06.2027 (Saturday) | 2 Days |
| 15 | Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) 2027 | 17.02.2027 | 09.03.2027 | 04.07.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 16 | Combined Medical Services 2027 | 03.03.2027 | 23.03.2027 | 18.07.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 19 | Civil Services (Main) 2027 | — | — | 20.08.2027 (Friday) | 5 Days |
| 20 | N.D.A. & N.A. Examination (II), 2027 | 12.05.2027 | 01.06.2027 | 19.09.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 21 | C.D.S. Examination (II), 2027 | 12.05.2027 | 01.06.2027 | 19.09.2027 (Sunday) | 1 Day |
| 25 | Indian Forest Service (Main) 2027 | — | — | 21.11.2027 (Sunday) | 7 Days |
| 27 | S.O./Steno (GD-B/GD-I) LDCE | 15.09.2027 | 05.10.2027 | 18.12.2027 (Saturday) | 2 Days |
Note: Entries 1, 5, 11, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24 and 26 are reserved for UPSC Recruitment Tests and departmental examinations, for which dates are allotted as per requirement (09.01.2027, 13.03.2027, 05.06.2027, 31.07.2027, 07.08.2027, 25.09.2027, 16.10.2027, 23.10.2027 and 04.12.2027 respectively).
Key Takeaways for Aspirants
1. Civil Services Aspirants Get a Clear Runway
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2027 will be held on 23 May 2027, with the notification releasing on 13 January 2027 and applications closing on 2 February 2027. Anyone starting preparation now has a defined deadline — roughly eleven months from the release of this calendar to the prelims. The Main examination follows on 20 August 2027, giving successful candidates a gap of about three months between the two stages.
2. NDA and CDS 2027 — Both Cycles Locked
Both NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) 2027 will be held together on 11 April 2027, with notifications on 2 December 2026 and applications closing on 22 December 2026. The second cycle of both exams is scheduled for 19 September 2027 (notification 12 May 2027, last date 1 June 2027). Defence aspirants should note that both exams share the same window.
3. Engineering Services Prelims Shifts to January
The Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination 2027 is set for 31 January 2027, with the notification as early as 16 September 2026 — barely four months after the calendar’s release. Engineering graduates eyeing the IES should begin application preparation immediately, because the application window of 16 September to 6 October 2026 closes soon.
4. CAPF AC 2027 in July
The Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination 2027 is scheduled for 4 July 2027, notification on 17 February 2027 and last date 9 March 2027. This exam opens the officer’s door into the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
Earliest Notification Windows Under the 2027 Calendar
According to the calendar, the Combined Geo-Scientist Prelims 2027 notification is dated 2 September 2026 with applications until 22 September 2026, and the Engineering Services (Preliminary) notification follows on 16 September 2026. Verify each notification’s actual release on upsc.gov.in before relying on these dates — the calendar indicates planned dates, and the Commission confirms them only when the notification is published.
How to Use the UPSC Calendar 2027 in Your Preparation
- Map backward from the exam date: If Civil Services Prelims is 23 May 2027, plan to complete the syllabus by March 2027, leaving April-May for revision and test series.
- Stack compatible exams: NDA and CDS share one window; Civil Services Prelims covers the Indian Forest Service Prelims too — one preparation, multiple shots.
- Watch notification dates, not just exam dates: The Engineering Services window (16 Sep–6 Oct 2026) closes long before the exam (31 Jan 2027). Missing an application date costs an entire year.
- Keep documents ready early: Scanned photograph, signature, category certificate and valid ID — the application window is only about three weeks for most UPSC exams.
UPSC Calendar 2027 — FAQs
When was the UPSC Calendar 2027 released?
The calendar was released on 20 May 2026 and is available on the official website upsc.gov.in under Examinations → Exam Calendar.
When is UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2027?
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2027 will be held on 23 May 2027 (Sunday). The notification releases on 13 January 2027 and applications close on 2 February 2027.
What are the NDA 2027 exam dates?
NDA & NA (I) 2027 is scheduled for 11 April 2027 and NDA & NA (II) 2027 for 19 September 2027.
Can UPSC change the dates in the calendar?
Yes. The Commission’s note says the dates of notification, commencement and duration of examinations/RTs are liable to alteration if circumstances warrant.
Where can I download the UPSC Calendar 2027 PDF?
The official PDF is available on upsc.gov.in — navigate to Examinations → Exam Calendar, or open the Annual Calendar 2027 page directly. The PDF is about 210 KB.
Which is the first exam under the UPSC Calendar 2027?
The Combined Geo-Scientist (Preliminary) Examination 2027 on 10 January 2027 is the first major exam of the year. (A reserved UPSC RT/Examination slot falls on 9 January 2027.)
Editor’s note: We cross-checked every date in this article against the official UPSC Calendar 2027 PDF (released 20 May 2026) on 5 September 2026. If UPSC revises any date, we’ll update this table the same day.
Conclusion
The UPSC Calendar 2027 turns guesswork into planning. With the Civil Services Prelims locked for 23 May 2027, NDA/CDS (I) for 11 April 2027, and the Engineering Services Prelims for 31 January 2027, every serious aspirant now has exact dates to build a preparation calendar around. Bookmark this page for reference, download the official PDF from upsc.gov.in, and set reminders for the notification dates — because in UPSC preparation, the application deadline is the first exam you must not fail. Speaking from years of tracking UPSC cycles — every single year, thousands of well-prepared candidates lose their attempt purely because they missed a three-week application window. Don’t be that person. For every upcoming notification, admit card and result update, keep following JobsAlertsIndia.
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