The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for the Combined Medical Services Examination, 2026. The examination is scheduled to be conducted on 2nd August 2026.
Important Dates
- Date of Notification: 2026-03-11
- Last Date for Application: 2026-03-31
- Date of Examination: 2026-08-02
Application Process
Candidates are required to apply online through the official UPSC website: https://upsconline.nic.in. The application process involves creating an account, filling the Universal Registration Number (URN) profile, and completing the Common Application Form (CAF).
Vacancy Details
The tentative number of vacancies for the services/posts are as follows:
Category-I
- Medical Officers Grade in General Duty, Medical Officers Sub-cadre of Central Health Service: 864
Category-II
- Assistant Divisional Medical Officer in the Railways: 450
- General Duty Medical Officer in New Delhi Municipal Council: 14
- General Duty Medical Officer Grade-II in Municipal Corporation of Delhi: 30
Reservations for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) categories are applicable as per government norms.
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
A candidate must be either:
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Nepal, or
- A subject of Bhutan, or
- A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling, or
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or certain East African countries.
Age Limit (as on 01.08.2026)
- A candidate must not have attained the age of 32 years (i.e., must have been born not earlier than August 2, 1994).
- For Medical Officers Grade in General Duty Medical Officers Sub-cadre of Central Health Service, the upper age limit is 35 years.
- Age relaxation is applicable for reserved categories as per government rules.
Educational Qualification
- A candidate must have passed the written and practical parts of the final M.B.B.S. Examination.
- Candidates who have appeared or are yet to appear at the final M.B.B.S. Examination are also eligible to apply provisionally.
- A candidate who has yet to complete the compulsory rotating internship is eligible for admission to the examination, but appointment will be subject to completion of the internship.
Application Fee
- Amount: ₹200/-
- Exemptions: Female/SC/ST/PwBD candidates are exempted from payment of the fee.
- Payment Mode: Online via Net Banking, Visa/Master/RuPay/Credit/Debit Card, or UPI.
Scheme of Examination
The examination will consist of two parts:
Part-I: Written Examination (500 Marks)
- Paper I (250 Marks): General Medicine and Paediatrics (120 questions).
- Paper II (250 Marks): Surgery, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, and Preventive & Social Medicine (120 questions).
- Both papers will be of objective type with multiple-choice questions and will have a duration of two hours each.
- Negative Marking: There will be a penalty for wrong answers. One-third of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
Part-II: Personality Test (100 Marks)
Candidates who qualify in the written examination will be called for an Interview/Personality Test.
Examination Centres
The examination will be held at 48 centres across India, including Agartala, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Dispur, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Prayagraj, Shillong, Shimla, and Thiruvananthapuram. Allotment of centres will be on a 'first-apply-first-allot' basis.