Overview

• The examination runs from August 22 to 31 in two daily shifts (9:00 am–12:00 pm and 2:30 pm–5:30 pm) with entry closing 30 minutes before each session.
• E‑admit cards have been issued on upsc.gov.in, and candidates must carry printed hall tickets with original photo ID and preserve them until final results.
• The Essay paper on August 22 opened the schedule, and early candidate reactions described the difficulty level as moderate.
• UPSC prohibits mobile phones, smartwatches and other electronic or communication devices, permits only simple wristwatches, transparent water bottles and limited stationery, and allows non‑programmable calculators where required.
• Recruitment targets 979 vacancies, while reports differ on participation figures with 14,161 qualified for Mains and about 9,000 expected to appear.