The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially declared the results of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026, on Monday. This announcement marks a significant milestone for thousands of aspirants who now advance to the next stage of India's most prestigious recruitment process. The preliminary examination was conducted on May 24, 2026, serving as the initial screening for both the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination.
Qualification Numbers and Updates
According to the commission, a total of 13,343 candidates have qualified for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2026. Additionally, 1,046 candidates have been shortlisted for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026. The commission has clarified that the candidature of all shortlisted individuals remains provisional, subject to fulfilling all eligibility conditions outlined in the examination rules.
Registration Process for Civil Services Mains
UPSC has announced that candidates shortlisted for the Civil Services (Main) Examination must complete a mandatory online process from June 19 to June 28, 2026. During this period, candidates are required to submit the prescribed examination fee of Rs 200, unless exempted under the rules. Exemptions apply to female, PwBD, SC, and ST candidates. The online window also allows candidates to update or submit details regarding scribes, assistive devices, and large-font question papers for the mains examination. Furthermore, candidates must fill in their cadre preferences for the Civil Services Examination.
The commission has emphasized that all qualified candidates must log in to the UPSC portal to update or reconfirm their details before submitting the application form. Failure to complete this process will result in disqualification from subsequent stages of the examination. Even candidates with no changes to make must log in, verify their details, and submit the form to enable generation of their e-admit cards.
Decline in Shortlisted Candidates
This year, the number of candidates shortlisted for the Civil Services Main Examination has decreased compared to the previous year. In 2025, UPSC shortlisted 14,161 candidates against 1,087 notified vacancies. In 2026, only 13,343 candidates have qualified for the mains examination against 1,016 vacancies notified for the Civil Services Examination.
A more significant decline is observed in the Indian Forest Service examination. In 2025, 2,116 candidates were shortlisted for the IFS Main Examination against 150 vacancies, whereas this year only 1,046 candidates have qualified for 80 notified vacancies.
Additional Information
UPSC has stated that the schedule for the online application window for qualified IFS candidates will be announced separately. The commission also informed that the result of one candidate with roll number 6300119 has been withheld pending the outcome of an ongoing court case.
Candidates seeking clarification regarding their results may contact the UPSC facilitation centre between 9 am and 8 pm through the notified telephone numbers.
Marks and Cut-offs to be Released Later
UPSC has confirmed that marks, cut-off marks, and answer keys for the preliminary examination will not be released immediately. These details will be uploaded on the UPSC website only after the entire examination process for both the Civil Services and Indian Forest Service examinations is completed and final results are declared.
