BharatNotes UPSC announces CSE vacancies in the official notification released in January or February each year; vacancies have trended downward — 1,105 in 2024, 979 in 2025, and 933 in 2026.
UPSC announces the number of vacancies for the Civil Services Examination as part of the official notification, released on upsc.gov.in. Vacancies are notified simultaneously for CSE and IFoS (Indian Forest Service) since they share the Preliminary stage.
The vacancy figure covers all civil services recruited through the exam: IAS, IPS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS), and other Group A and B Central Services. A portion of vacancies is reserved for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwBD categories.
Recent vacancy trends (official notifications):
| Year | CSE Vacancies | Notification Date | Final Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSE 2023 | 1,105 | January 2023 | 1,016 |
| CSE 2024 | 1,105 | January 2024 | ~1,000 (approx.) |
| CSE 2025 | 979 | 22 January 2025 | 958 (6 March 2026) |
| CSE 2026 | 933 | 4 February 2026 | TBA |
The 979 vacancies in CSE 2025 were the lowest in several years. Of these, 958 candidates were ultimately recommended in the final result (6 March 2026), as some advertised posts may remain unfilled due to candidate shortfalls in specific reserved categories.
Key point: The vacancy figure in the notification is an indicative number. Actual recommended candidates at the Final Result stage may differ slightly. Vacancies are fixed before the exam cycle begins — performance in the exam determines allocation to specific services, not vacancy additions mid-cycle.
Always download the official notification PDF from upsc.gov.in to see the category-wise vacancy breakup.
