What is the rule of restriction on applying for UPSC exam?
According to the new rule of UPSC, candidates joining Civil Services will get only one attempt. They cannot apply for UPSC Civil Services Examination for the third time. The conditions of the new rules are as follows-1. Just One More Chance: A candidate who has been placed in any service on the basis of CSE-2025 or previous years will be given one opportunity to appear for CSE-2026 or CSE-2027 of his choice to utilize his remaining attempts, provided he fulfills the other eligibility criteria, and will not be required to resign from the service. However, candidates who wish to appear in CSE-2028 or later examination will have to resign from their allotted service.
2. Results of previous examinations also covered: A major change has been made in the notification of UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 regarding multiple attempts. According to the new rule, a candidate who has been appointed to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Foreign Service (IFS) on the basis of the results of the previous examination and remains a member of that service will not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services Examination-2026.
3. You will not get a chance for Mains even after cracking Prelims: If any such candidate is appointed to the IAS or IFS (depending on the previous examination) after the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026 and that candidate continues to be a member of that service, then that candidate will not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026, even if he has passed the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026.
4. There will be no new appointment even after the Mains result: If any such candidate is appointed to the IAS or IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination-2026 but before the declaration of the result by the Commission and continues to be a member of that Service, that candidate will not be considered for appointment to any service/post on the basis of the result of CSE-2026.
5. No chance to become IPS again: A candidate who has been selected or appointed to the Indian Police Service (IPS) on the basis of the results of the previous examination will not be eligible to opt for or join the Indian Police Service on the basis of the result of CSE-2026.
6. Exemption from training only once: After joining IAS or IPS or Group A service, candidates can appear for CSE-2027 examination only if exempted from training for the service allotted on the basis of CSE-2026 by the concerned authority. He will be exempted from attending training only once to enable him to appear for CSE-2027.
7. No Step- No Service: The selected candidate will attend training in Foundation Course (FC) only. However, if such a candidate does not attend the training for the service allotted on the basis of CSE-2026 nor takes exemption from attending the training, his service allotment on the basis of CSE-2026 will be cancelled.
8. After the new selection, the old selection will be canceled: If such a candidate is selected in UPSC CSE-2027, he/she can accept the service allotted on the basis of CSE-2026 or CSE-2027 and attend the training prescribed for CSE-2027. At this level, the allotment of service other than the service chosen by him will be cancelled. If he is not allotted any service on the basis of CSE-2027, he can join the service allotted through CSE-2026.
9. Both selections may also be cancelled: If he does not attend training for the service allotted on the basis of CSE-2026 or CSE-2027, his allotment to both the services will be cancelled.
10. Resignation will have to be submitted before applying for the third time: Candidates who are successful in the first two attempts and selected cannot give the third attempt. If they wish to appear for CSE-2028 and any CSE thereafter, they will have to resign from the present service.
Fill UPSC recruitment forms by 24th February.
According to UPSC CSE 2026 notification, the online application process has started from February 4. Eligible candidates can fill the form till 24th February 2026. About 933 vacant posts in various civil services will be filled through this recruitment drive. Of these, 33 vacancies are reserved for candidates of benchmark disabled category. Interested and eligible candidates can fill the online application form by visiting the official website of the Commission, upsconline.nic.in.
