“upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026 / UPSC Indian Economic & Statistical Service 2026/44 Post” The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially activated the application window for the 2026 cycle as of February 11, 2026. With 44 coveted Group ‘A’ vacancies on the line, this is the moment to shift your preparation from passive reading to active application.
Application and Examination Name/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| ⁕ Name of Recruitment: UPSC Indian Economic Service (IES) & Indian Statistical Service (ISS) Examination 2026 ⁕ Post Name: Officer in the Junior Time Scale of the respective services ⁕ Conducting Authority: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Important Dates/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| Event | Official Date (2026) | Critical Note |
| Notification Release | February 11, 2026 | Released alongside application activation |
| Application Start Date | February 11, 2026 | Link active on upsconline.nic.in |
| Last Date to Apply | March 3, 2026 (6:00 PM) | Strict deadline. No extensions |
| Fee Payment Deadline | March 3, 2026 (6:00 PM) | Payment closes with form submission. |
| Admit Card Release | “Last working day of the preceding week” | Usually June 2026; 3 days prior for scribe changes |
| Exam Date (Written) | June 19, 20, 21 | Three-day examination |
| Result (Written) | To be announced | Approx. 4-6 weeks post-exam. |
| Interview/Personality Test | Late 2026 | For shortlisted candidates only. |
Application Fee/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| ⁕ General / OBC / EWS (Male): ₹200 (Rupees Two Hundred only) ⁕ SC / ST / Female / PwBD: NIL (Exempted from payment) Payment Methods (Digital First): ⁕ Online: Net Banking, Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card, UPI ⁕ Offline: via SBI Challan (generated online, pay at any SBI branch) |
Eligibility and Age Limit/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| Age Limit ⁕ Minimum Age: 21 Years ⁕ Maximum Age: 30 Years. ⁕ Date of Birth Range: Born not earlier than 2nd August, 1996 and not later than 1st August, 2005 |
Age Relaxation/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| ⁕ OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): Up to 3 years (33 years) ⁕ SC/ST: Up to 5 years (35 years) ⁕ Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Up to 10 years (40 years) ⁕ Ex-Servicemen/ECOs/SSCOs: Up to 5 years (subject to service conditions) |
Educational Qualification/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| For Indian Economic Service (IES) ⁕ Mandatory: Post-Graduate Degree in Economics, Applied Economics, Business Economics, or Econometrics. ⁕ Institution: From a recognized University/Deemed University under UGC Act. |
| For Indian Statistical Service (ISS) ⁕ Mandatory: Post-Graduate Degree in Statistics, Mathematical Statistics, Applied Statistics, Quantitative Economics, Operational Research, or Actuarial Science |
Number of Vacancies/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| Service | Number of Vacancies |
| Indian Economic Service (IES) | 16 Posts |
| Indian Statistical Service (ISS) | 28 Posts |
| Total | 44 Posts |
Job Location/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
If selected, you are an All India Service officer (though technically a Central Service, the posting is pan-India)
| ⁕ IES Officers: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce, NITI Aayog, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Economic Affairs |
| ⁕ ISS Officers: Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Central Statistical Office (CSO), and various State Directorates of Economics and Statistics |
How to Apply: A Step-by-Step/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| Before You Start: Keep these scanned documents ready in JPG/JPEG format (20kb – 300kb) ⁕ Recent Passport Size Photo (80% face coverage, light background) ⁕ Signature (Black ink on white paper) ⁕ Valid Photo ID (Aadhaar/PAN/Driving License) ⁕ Category/Caste Certificate (if applicable) |
| Step 1: The OTR (One-Time Registration) Visit https://upsconline.nic.in. If you haven’t applied for CDS/CAPF/NDA before, you need to complete the OTR. This generates a Universal Registration Number (URN) . This is permanent. Do not register twice |
| Step 2: Login and Select Exam Login with your URN/Password. Navigate to: *Online Application -> Examination Specific Module -> IES/ISS Examination 2026 |
| Step 3: Fill Part I (Personal & Educational) ⁕ Enter your Matriculation details (DOB proof) ⁕ Enter your Post-Graduation marks/roll number ⁕ Select Exam Centers: You can choose up to 5 preferred centers |
| Step 4: Upload Scanned Images (The Tricky Part) ⁕ Photo: Ensure it is not older than 3 months. The face should be clearly visible ⁕ Signature: Must match the signature you intend to use on the admit card. If you sign casually now but use a formal signature later, it causes issues at Document Verification. |
| Step 5: Fee Payment ⁕ If applicable (Gen/OBC Male), pay ₹200. ⁕ If exempted (SC/ST/Female), select the exemption option. ⁕ Check: Ensure the transaction status shows “Success” before closing the browser. |
| Step 6: Final Submit (Part II) ⁕ Crucial: Part I is saved data. You must perform “Part II Submission” ⁕ Review the entire form. Once you click “Final Submit” , changes are nearly impossible ⁕ Download the PDF and take a printout. You do not need to mail this to UPSC (it is for your records only) |
Selection Process and Examination Phases/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| Phase 1: Written Examination (Conventional & Objective Mix) ⁕ Total Marks: 1000. ⁕ Type: Mostly Conventional (Essay/Long answer) except for Statistics Paper I & II for ISS, which are Objective Type |
| Phase 2: Viva Voce (Interview/Personality Test) ⁕ Total Marks: 200. ⁕ Purpose: Not a retest of academics, but an assessment of mental alertness, critical thinking, and social traits. You are being tested on your suitability for a civil service career, not just your knowledge of regression analysis |
| Final Merit List: Written (1000) + Interview (200) = 1200 Marks. Your rank depends on the aggregate. |
Examination Pattern and Syllabus/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
Indian Economic Service (IES) Paper Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Max Marks | Duration | Type |
| I | General English | 100 | 3 Hrs | Conventional (Essay) |
| II | General Studies | 100 | 3 Hrs | Conventional (Essay) |
| III | General Economics – I | 200 | 3 Hrs | Conventional (Essay) |
| IV | General Economics – II | 200 | 3 Hrs | Conventional (Essay) |
| V | General Economics – III | 200 | 3 Hrs | Conventional (Essay) |
| VI | Indian Economics | 200 | 3 Hrs | Conventional (Essay) |
| Total | 1000 |
Indian Statistical Service (ISS) Paper Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Max Marks | Duration | Type |
| I | General English | 100 | 3 Hrs | Conventional |
| II | General Studies | 100 | 3 Hrs | Conventional |
| III | Statistics – I | 200 | 3 Hrs | Objective |
| IV | Statistics – II | 200 | 3 Hrs | Objective |
| V | Statistics – III | 200 | 3 Hrs | Conventional |
| VI | Statistics – IV | 200 | 3 Hrs | Conventional |
| Total | 1000 |
| Syllabus Brief ⁕ IES: Micro/Macro Economics, Public Finance, International Trade, Growth & Development, Indian Economy (Budget, NEP, Agriculture) |
| ⁕ ISS: Probability, Statistical Methods, Distribution Theory, Sampling Techniques, Linear Models, Economic Statistics, Numerical Analysis. |
Pay Scale and Benefits (7th CPC)/upsc-ies-iss-examination-2026
| ⁕ Pay Level: Level 10 of the 7th Central Pay Commission (7th CPC) ⁕ Basic Pay: ₹56,100 (per month) ⁕ Gross Emoluments: Approx. ₹80,000 – ₹1,00,000+ (including DA, HRA, Travel Allowance) |
Important Link/UPSC IES ISS Examination-2026
| APPLY ONLINE | CLICK HERE |
| DOWNLOAD NOTIFICTION | CLICK HERE |
| OFFICIAL WEBSITE | CLICK HERE |
| FOR MORE VACANCIES | CLICK HERE |
| JOIN ROJGARINFO CHANNEL | TELEGRAM / WHATSAPP |
1. I am in my final year of MA Economics. Can I apply?
Yes. You can apply provisionally. However, you must clear your degree and submit the proof before the UPSC Interview stage. If you fail your finals, your candidature will be canceled
2. I have done M.Sc. (Mathematics). Can I apply for ISS?
Not directly. The requirement is a PG in Statistics or related applied statistics fields. Mathematics alone is not sufficient unless Statistics was a major component
3. I filled the form but forgot to upload my signature. What do I do?
If you have not clicked “Final Submit,” you can go back and edit. If you have submitted, you must wait for the Correction Window (usually opened for 7 days post-application). However, critical fields like Name/DOB are locked in OTR and cannot be changed
4. Is the interview stage just a formality?
Absolutely not. The interview carries 200 marks. Many candidates toppers have been unseated here. It tests your personality, not just your degree.
5. What is the number of attempts for General category?
6 attempts for General, 9 attempts for OBC. SC/ST have unlimited attempts until the age limit expires
6. I am a B.Tech graduate. Can I apply for IES?
Only if you hold a Post-Graduate degree in Economics. A B.Tech + MBA (Finance) is not sufficient unless you have the specific PG Economics degree
7. The website says my photo is “Not in Dimension.” Help!
Use an online image resizer. Set dimensions roughly 200px wide and 230px high. Keep file size below 300KB. Do not crop a group photo; take a fresh passport picture
8. What if I live abroad? Can I apply?
Yes, candidates of Indian origin from specific countries can apply. The fee must be paid to the Indian Embassy/High Commission, and an eligibility certificate is required
9. Do I need to send the hard copy of the application to UPSC Delhi?
The process is entirely online. You only keep a printout for yourself
10. Is there negative marking in the conventional (essay) papers?
No. Negative marking is strictly for the Objective Type papers (ISS Paper I and II). For conventional papers, marks are deducted for poor presentation or irrelevant content, not for multiple-choice errors