UPSC has released its Annual Calendar 2027 on 20 May 2026, and that gives aspirants a clean early roadmap for Civil Services, NDA, and CDS. The biggest headline is this: UPSC CSE Prelims 2027 is scheduled for 23 May 2027, while CSE Mains 2027 begins on 20 August 2027. For defence aspirants, NDA & NA (I) 2027 and CDS (I) 2027 are both lined up for 11 April 2027, while NDA & NA (II) 2027 and CDS (II) 2027 are scheduled for 19 September 2027. The official UPSC PDF is already live on the Commission’s calendar page.
UPSC 2027 Timeline For CSE, NDA, And CDS
The official calendar fixes the key 2027 dates that most candidates were waiting for. NDA & NA (I), 2027 will be notified on 2 December 2026, applications close on 22 December 2026, and the exam will be held on 11 April 2027. CDS (I), 2027 shares the same exam date, 11 April 2027. For Civil Services, the notification comes on 13 January 2027, the last date to apply is 2 February 2027, and CSE Prelims 2027 will be held on 23 May 2027. After that, CSE Mains 2027 starts on 20 August 2027 and runs for 5 days.
In the second half of the year, NDA & NA (II), 2027 will be notified on 12 May 2027, the application deadline is 1 June 2027, and the exam is set for 19 September 2027. CDS (II), 2027, is grouped with the same examination date, 19 September 2027, in the UPSC annual programme. That means 2027 aspirants already know both defence windows and the full Civil Services cycle well in advance.
Vacancy Update: What Is Official And What Is Still Pending
Here is the part many students search first: UPSC has announced the 2027 exam dates, but not the final 2027 vacancies for CSE, NDA, or CDS yet. The annual calendar only gives notification dates, application deadlines, exam dates, and duration. It does not carry the final seat count. That vacancy breakup comes later inside each exam notification.
For a live reference point, the latest official CSE 2026 notice said the examination was expected to fill about 933 vacancies, though UPSC also stated that the final count could change. The latest available NDA & NA (II) 2026 notice lists 406 vacancies. For CDS (II) 2026, the currently circulating notice shows 451 tentative vacancies, but since the UPSC PDF was difficult to fetch directly in the browser tool, that number should be cross-checked once the official notice opens smoothly on the UPSC site.
Eligibility Snapshot For UPSC 2027 Aspirants
For CSE, the latest official pattern says candidates must hold a graduate degree. For CSE 2026, the age band was 21 to 32 years as on 1 August 2026, with category-based relaxation as per rules. Since the 2027 CSE notification is not out yet, the exact cut-off date for age will be confirmed only in January 2027.
For NDA, the latest official notice says only unmarried male and female candidates can apply, and the educational rule is Class 12 pass for the Army Wing, while Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in 10+2 are required for the Air Force, Naval Wings, and Naval Academy stream. For NDA (II) 2026, the eligible birth range was 1 January 2008 to 1 January 2011.
For CDS, the latest notice keeps the qualification route course-specific: degree for IMA and OTA, engineering or B.Sc. with Physics plus Maths at 10+2 level for INA, and degree with Physics and Mathematics at 10+2 level or Bachelor of Engineering for AFA. Age also changes by academy, so candidates should check the course before applying.
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Official PDF, Application Mode, And What To Watch Next
The safest move now is to save the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 PDF and track the notification windows already listed there. The Commission’s current notices also show that applications are being handled through UPSC Online with URN, Common Application Form, and an exam-specific module, so candidates should keep documents ready early.
FAQs
When are UPSC CSE Prelims 2027?
It is scheduled for 23 May 2027, as per the official UPSC calendar.
When Will UPSC CSE Mains 2027 Start?
It begins on 20 August 2027 and will run for 5 days.
What Is The NDA 2027 Exam Date?
NDA I: 11 April 2027. NDA II: 19 September 2027.
Has UPSC Released 2027 Vacancies Yet?
No. The annual calendar gives dates only. Vacancies come later in notifications.
Where Can Candidates Download The Official PDF?
From the UPSC calendar page and the Annual Calendar 2027 PDF itself.
