By the Online Coaching 4u team
Last updated: 9 October 2026.
The UPSC Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination 2026 will be held from Sunday, 22 November to Sunday, 29 November 2026, with no paper on 24 November, according to the official time table UPSC published on 17 September 2026 (upsc.gov.in).
Quick facts
Exam: Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026
Dates: 22–29 November 2026 (no paper on Tuesday, 24 November, a gazetted holiday)
Sessions: forenoon 9:00 am–12:00 noon; afternoon 2:30 pm–5:30 pm
Day 1 (22 Nov): General English (forenoon), General Knowledge (afternoon)
Next big UPSC date: CSE 2027 notification on 13 January 2027; prelims on 23 May 2027
Checked against: IFS (Main) 2026 time table and UPSC Annual Calendar 2027, on 9 October 2026
The IFS Main 2026 schedule, day by day
Every IFS Main paper runs for three hours. The general papers come first, and the optional subjects follow from 23 November.
- Sunday, 22 November: General English (forenoon); General Knowledge (afternoon).
- Monday, 23 November: Mathematics or Zoology, Paper I (forenoon) and Paper II (afternoon).
- Tuesday, 24 November: no paper (gazetted holiday).
- Wednesday, 25 November: Civil, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, Papers I and II.
- Thursday, 26 November: Agricultural Engineering, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany or Chemistry, Papers I and II.
- Friday, 27 November: Agriculture or Forestry, Papers I and II.
- Saturday, 28 November: Physics, Papers I and II.
- Sunday, 29 November: Geology or Statistics, Papers I and II.
Candidates should check which day their two optional subjects fall on. Someone with Forestry and Botany, for example, sits papers on 22, 26 and 27 November. UPSC has not yet released IFS Main e-admit cards. They will be on UPSC's What's New page when issued, and UPSC usually issues them a few weeks before the exam.
What comes next on the UPSC calendar
UPSC's Annual Calendar 2027 (dated 20 May 2026) gives the next notification dates for civil services and defence aspirants. Calendar dates can change, so treat them as planned dates until each notice is published.
- CSE 2027: notification on 13 January 2027, applications close 2 February 2027, prelims on Sunday, 23 May 2027. The IFS 2027 preliminary is held through the same CS (Preliminary) exam.
- CSE Main 2027: begins Friday, 20 August 2027 (five days).
- NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) 2027: notification on 2 December 2026, applications close 22 December 2026, exam on 11 April 2027.
- CAPF (ACs) 2027: notification on 17 February 2027, exam on 4 July 2027.
Important pointers for UPSC aspirants (as of 9 October 2026)
- 9 Oct 2026: The IFS (Main) Examination 2026 runs from 22 to 29 November 2026, with no paper on 24 November. (UPSC time table)
- 9 Oct 2026: UPSC plans to notify the Civil Services Examination 2027 on 13 January 2027, with the last date for applications on 2 February 2027. (UPSC Calendar 2027)
- 9 Oct 2026: The CSE 2027 preliminary exam is scheduled for Sunday, 23 May 2027, and the CSE 2027 main exam is scheduled to begin on 20 August 2027. (UPSC Calendar 2027)
- 9 Oct 2026: The ESE 2027 preliminary exam is scheduled for 31 January 2027; the calendar listed 6 October 2026 as its last date for applications. (UPSC Calendar 2027)
- 9 Oct 2026: UPSC's homepage says all candidates appearing in UPSC examinations will undergo face authentication at the venue. (upsc.gov.in)
Starting UPSC preparation for 2027? Compare classroom options on our IAS / UPSC coaching directory.
Last updated: 9 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When is the UPSC IFS Main 2026 exam?
From Sunday, 22 November to Sunday, 29 November 2026, according to the time table UPSC published on 17 September 2026. There is no paper on Tuesday, 24 November, which is a gazetted holiday.
What are the timings for IFS Main 2026?
Each day has a forenoon session from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and an afternoon session from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. General English is on the morning of 22 November and General Knowledge that afternoon.
Is the IFS Main 2026 admit card out?
Not as of 9 October 2026. UPSC posts e-admit cards on its website, usually a few weeks before the exam. Check upsc.gov.in under What's New.
When will the UPSC CSE 2027 notification come out?
UPSC's Annual Calendar 2027 lists 13 January 2027 as the notification date, 2 February 2027 as the last date to apply, and 23 May 2027 as the prelims date. These are planned dates and can change.
