The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has opened the Detailed Application Form (DAF) portal for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Mains 2026. Candidates who qualified in the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 can now submit their DAF online to become eligible for the next stage of the recruitment process.
The application window will remain open from June 19 to June 28, 2026. UPSC has advised candidates to complete the form well before the deadline and carefully verify all details before submission.
Who Can Fill the UPSC CSE Mains 2026 DAF?
Only candidates who have successfully cleared the UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination 2026 are eligible to submit the Detailed Application Form. Completing the DAF is mandatory for appearing in the Civil Services Mains Examination.
This year, 13,343 candidates have qualified for the Mains examination against 1,016 notified vacancies. The Preliminary Examination was conducted on May 24, 2026.
Application Fee
Candidates are required to pay an application fee of ₹200, wherever applicable under UPSC rules. Fee exemptions for eligible reserved categories will continue as per the Commission’s guidelines.
UPSC has clarified that only candidates who successfully submit the DAF will be issued admit cards for the Mains examination.
How to Fill the UPSC CSE Mains 2026 DAF
Candidates can complete the application by following these steps:
- Visit the UPSC online application portal.
- Log in using your registered credentials.
- Open the Detailed Application Form (DAF) link.
- Verify your personal and contact details.
- Update category and reservation details, if applicable.
- Carefully fill in your service and cadre preferences.
- Provide details related to a scribe or assistive devices, if required.
- Pay the applicable examination fee.
- Review all information carefully before final submission.
- Download and save the confirmation page for future reference.
Important Details to Verify
UPSC has advised candidates to carefully review and update all information provided in their application. The DAF includes key details such as:
- Personal information
- Educational qualifications
- Category and reservation status
- Service and cadre preferences
- Other information required for the subsequent stages of the recruitment process
Incorrect or incomplete information may affect later stages of the selection process.
UPSC CSE Mains 2026 to Begin on August 21
According to the UPSC examination schedule, the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026 will commence on August 21, 2026. Only candidates who successfully submit the DAF within the prescribed deadline will be eligible to appear for the written examination.
Three-Stage Selection Process
The UPSC Civil Services Examination is conducted in three stages:
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Personality Test (Interview)
The examination is conducted to recruit candidates for prestigious services including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and several other Group A and Group B services.
Candidates are advised to rely only on the official UPSC websites for the latest announcements and examination-related updates.
