UPSC direct recruitment 2026 applications open for 13 posts; apply by October 16

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has commenced a direct recruitment drive for 13 positions across various Central government departments and organisations. Applications for these posts, advertised under number 12/2026, opened on September 27, 2026, following a detailed notification issued on September 26, 2026.

Prospective candidates have until October 16, 2026, to submit their applications online. This recruitment drive is part of the UPSC’s ongoing efforts to fill vacancies in different government sectors throughout the year 2026.

Application Process and Fee Details

The application process for the direct recruitment drive under advertisement no. 12/2026 began on September 27, 2026, and will conclude on October 16, 2026. Interested candidates can apply through the official UPSC online portal, upsconline.nic.in. A detailed notification outlining the requirements was made available on upsc.gov.in on September 26, 2026.

Regarding application fees, candidates belonging to female, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories are exempt from payment. Other eligible candidates are required to pay a fee of Rs 25, which can be submitted through prescribed online payment methods. Applicants are advised to use their Aadhaar Card as the primary identification document for verification purposes.

Vacancy Details Across Departments

The current recruitment drive, advertisement no. 12/2026, aims to fill a total of 13 vacancies across four distinct positions in various Central government entities. These positions include Junior Technical Officer (Sugar Technology), Assistant Legislative Counsel, Law Officer, and Specialist Grade II (Junior Scale) – Cardiology. Each post is designated for a specific organisation, as detailed in the official notification.

Candidates interested in these roles can find thorough information regarding post-wise educational qualifications, required experience, and age criteria on the official UPSC website. The distribution of vacancies is as follows:

Context of UPSC Recruitment in 2026

The Union Public Service Commission has conducted multiple recruitment drives throughout 2026, indicating a continuous effort to staff various government departments. Prior to the current advertisement no. 12/2026, other significant recruitment initiatives were undertaken. For instance, Advertisement No. 05/2026 announced 194 vacancies, with applications accepted from May 23, 2026, to June 12, 2026.

Similarly, Advertisement No. 06/2026 notified 443 vacancies across 98 different posts, with its application window open from June 13, 2026, to July 03, 2026. The UPSC also released the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Notification 2026 for 933 vacancies, which involves a multi-stage selection process comprising Prelims, Mains, and Interview. In addition, the UPSC invited applications for direct recruitment to 212 government posts from September 12 to October 2, and is also filling two Senior Reception and Protocol Officer posts and one Assistant Director (Vigilance) post on a deputation basis.

Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 Overview

While the current recruitment drive focuses on specific direct recruitment posts, the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 remains a prominent annual event. The CSE 2026 notification was released for 933 vacancies, attracting a large number of applicants for various administrative services. The selection process for the CSE is structured into three main stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.

The Prelims exam consists of two objective papers: General Studies (Paper I) and CSAT (Paper II). Candidates who clear the Prelims proceed to the Mains exam, which comprises nine descriptive papers. Seven of these papers carry a total of 1750 marks. The final stage is the Interview, which carries 275 marks. The ultimate selection for the UPSC CSE is determined by the combined marks obtained in the Mains examination and the Interview, totaling 2025 marks.

Further reading

• Army Public School Ambala Cantt recruitment: apply for teaching, non-teaching posts by 01 October 2026
• BTSC Fisheries Extension Officer recruitment 2026 application opens for 231 posts; apply by 23 October
• HPPSC ADO recruitment 2026: apply for 23 posts by October 22
• Anganwadi recruitment 2026: apply for 9,541 posts by October 8
• CPRI recruitment 2026 registration begins for 110 posts; apply by October 12

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

View all posts →