UPSC Adds 3 New Centres for Civil Services Prelims 2026; 23,000 Candidates Benefit
New Delhi, May 21: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has introduced three new examination centres for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 in a move aimed at reducing congestion and improving accessibility for candidates across the country.
The newly added centres are located in Bhubaneswar, Kanpur, and Meerut, increasing the total number of Preliminary Examination centres from 80 to 83. According to UPSC, nearly 23,000 candidates opted for these newly established centres, significantly easing pressure on neighbouring examination hubs.
The Bhubaneswar centre received 10,656 applications and helped reduce the burden on the existing Cuttack centre. Similarly, the Kanpur centre attracted 6,938 applications, easing pressure on Lucknow. In western Uttar Pradesh, the newly established Meerut centre received 5,902 applications, benefiting aspirants who previously depended on the Ghaziabad centre.
UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar said the initiative is part of the Commission’s broader effort to make the examination process more candidate-friendly and accessible.
“Our objective is to make the examination process more candidate-friendly, accessible, and efficient. The addition of three new centres is aimed at easing congestion and providing greater convenience to aspirants,” he stated.
He further highlighted the Commission’s focus on inclusivity for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). Under the revised mechanism, PwBD candidates are ensured their preferred examination centres, even if additional capacity has to be created.
As a result, nearly 805 PwBD candidates secured examination centres of their choice in the Delhi region alone.
The UPSC also introduced a new dropdown option in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 application form, allowing candidates to indicate preferred nearby cities. The Commission said the collected data will help assess candidate demand and identify feasible locations for future examination centres.
This year, UPSC received a total of 8,19,372 applications for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, reflecting the continued popularity and competitiveness of India’s premier civil services examination.
The Commission stated that these initiatives are part of its ongoing efforts to modernize examination processes while maintaining fairness, transparency, and integrity in the conduct of examinations.