UPSC IAS / IFS Pre Admit Card 2026

UPSC IAS / IFS Pre Admit Card 2026: Download for CSE Prelims (24 May)

Key Highlights

• UPSC has released the Civil Services Preliminary (IAS / IFS) Admit Card 2026.
• The CSE Prelims exam is on 24 May 2026 (tomorrow).
• Where: upsconline.gov.in/eadmitcard/ (UPSC e-Admit Card portal).
• Login: Registration ID / Roll Number + Date of Birth OR Application ID + Password.
• Carry to the exam centre: a printed copy of the admit card (soft copies on phone are not accepted) plus one valid photo ID (Aadhaar / Passport / Voter ID / Driving Licence).

The Union Public Service Commission has released the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 Admit Card — covering both the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) Preliminary stages. The Prelims is held on Sunday, 24 May 2026. With less than 24 hours to go, every candidate's immediate task is to download, print, and verify the admit card and pack the centre-day kit. This page walks you through the download flow, the items you must carry, and last-day instructions.

How to download the admit card

1. Open upsconline.gov.in/eadmitcard/ (the official UPSC e-Admit Card portal).
2. Click "Click here to download the e-Admit Card — Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026".
3. Choose the login method — Registration ID + Date of Birth OR Roll Number + Date of Birth OR Application ID + Password.
4. Solve the captcha, submit.
5. Your admit card opens — verify every field (name, photograph, exam centre address, reporting time, registration number).
6. Download the PDF and print at least 2 copies on a fresh A4 sheet.

If the portal is slow on the day before the exam, try off-peak hours (early morning or late evening). The portal is intentionally hardened against last-minute traffic but it can still queue requests.

Verify your admit card carefully

Before printing the final copy, check that:

• Your name matches your photo ID exactly (no spelling discrepancies).
• Photograph and signature are clear and your own.
• Exam centre address is the one you opted for (UPSC may allot a different centre if your first choice was full — read it carefully).
• Reporting time is what the admit card states (typically 9:00 AM for the morning session and 2:00 PM for the afternoon session, but follow your individual admit card).
• Registration / Roll number matches your application records.

If you spot any discrepancy, contact UPSC immediately via the helpline numbers listed on the admit card — there is no portal-side correction at this stage.

What to carry to the exam centre

UPSC's centre rules are strict. Pack the night before:

• Printed admit card (2 copies — one to submit at the centre, one for your record). Soft copies / phone PDFs are not accepted.
• One valid photo ID in original — Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, Driving Licence, or PAN Card.
• Black ball-point pens (carry 2 — UPSC does not provide pens for the OMR-style answer sheet).
• Simple wrist watch (analog) — digital/smart watches are not allowed.
• Water bottle (transparent) and light snacks if permitted by centre rules.

Do NOT carry: mobile phone, smart watch, calculator, electronic device of any kind, bag (centres typically have storage but it's at your risk), printed/written material, or weapons of any sort.

Exam-day instructions

• Reach the centre at least 60 minutes before reporting time — entry typically closes 10-15 minutes before the exam starts and late arrivals are not admitted.
• Carry the original photo ID — without it, the centre supervisor can deny entry even with a printed admit card.
• Read the OMR instructions carefully at your seat — UPSC's OMR design includes question paper code that must be filled correctly to avoid mismatched evaluation.
• Do not leave the hall before the time allowed in the instructions, and do not carry the question paper out unless permitted.
• For CSAT (Paper II), it is qualifying-only at 33% — still attempt seriously, but a candidate who clears Paper I and gets 33% in CSAT proceeds to the Mains.

After the Prelims

The answer key is typically released a few weeks after the Prelims, followed by the result. While the Prelims-to-Mains gap is short by competitive standards, the practical advice for serious candidates is to take a 2-day break after 24 May, then start Mains-mode preparation immediately — answer-writing drills, current-affairs deep reading, and optional-subject reinforcement. Don't wait for the Prelims result. For a structured 80-day plan, see our UPSC CSE Mains 2026 80-day strategy guide.

For the broader UPSC pillar, see UPSC CSE 2026.

UPSC IAS / IFS Pre Admit Card 2026: हिंदी सारांश

UPSC ने Civil Services (Preliminary) Admit Card 2026 जारी कर दिया है — IAS व IFS दोनों के लिए। परीक्षा 24 मई 2026 (कल) को आयोजित होगी। एडमिट कार्ड upsconline.gov.in/eadmitcard/ पर Registration ID / Roll Number + Date of Birth या Application ID + Password से डाउनलोड करें। केंद्र पर प्रिंटेड एडमिट कार्ड (मोबाइल पर PDF स्वीकार नहीं) और एक वैध फोटो ID (आधार/पासपोर्ट/वोटर ID/DL) अनिवार्य है। काले बॉलपॉइंट पेन, साधारण घड़ी, पारदर्शी पानी की बोतल साथ रखें; मोबाइल/स्मार्ट वॉच/कैलकुलेटर पूरी तरह वर्जित हैं। रिपोर्टिंग समय से 60 मिनट पहले पहुँचें — देर से आने वालों को प्रवेश नहीं मिलेगा। CSAT (Paper II) 33% qualifying है। ब्रॉडर pillar के लिए UPSC CSE 2026 देखें।