UPSC IFS Mains Exam Date 2026 Out: Check Exam Schedule & Shift Timings
UPSC IFS Mains Exam Date 2026: The UPSC has announced the Mains exam schedule for the Indian Forest Services Examination (IFoS) 2026. The exam is scheduled to be held on 22-29 November 2026. Check this article to know the exam schedule and timings.
Key Points
- UPSC released the IFoS Mains 2026 exam schedule on September 17, 2026.
- The Mains exam will be conducted from November 22 to 29, 2026, over 7 days.
- 1,046 candidates qualified Prelims (May 24, 2026) for the Mains exam.
UPSC IFS Mains Exam Date 2026: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the UPSC IFoS Mains exam date schedule on its official website upsc.gov.in on 17 September 2026. As per the schedule, the exam will be conducted across 07 days in two shifts on 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 November 2026. The candidates who have qualified the UPSC IFS Preliminary examination 2026 will be eligible to appear for the Mains exam. The UPSC conducted the preliminary exam on 24 May 2026 and the results were declared on 15 June 2026. A total of 1,046 candidates have been shortlisted for the Mains.
UPSC IFS Mains Exam Date 2026 Out
The candidates who have appeared for the UPSC IFS/IFoS Preliminary examination and have qualified it are going to appear for the Mains examination scheduled to commence from 22 November onwards. The candidates can download the detailed schedule from here.
| UPSC IFS Mains Exam Schedule 2026 |
UPSC IFS Mains Exam Schedule 2026
The UPSC has released the official IFS Mains exam schedule 2026 on its website. The candidates can check the detailed schedule here.
| Date | Morning Session | Afternoon Session |
| 22-11-2026 | General English | General Knowledge |
| 23-11-2026 | Mathematics Paper-I/ Zoology Paper -I | Mathematics Paper-II/ Zoology Paper -II |
| 25-11-2026 | Civil Engineering Paper-I / Chemical Engineering Paper-I/ Mechanical Engineering Paper-II | Civil Engineering Paper-II / Chemical Engineering Paper-II/ Mechanical Engineering Paper-II |
| 26-11-2026 | Agricultural Engineering Paper-I / Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Paper-I/ Botany Paper-I/ Chemistry Paper-I | Agricultural Engineering Paper-II / Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Paper-II/ Botany Paper-II/ Chemistry Paper-II |
| 27-11-2026 | Agriculture Paper-I/ Forestry Paper-I | Agriculture Paper-II/ Forestry Paper-II |
| 28-11-2026 | Physics Paper-I | Physics Paper-II |
| 29-11-2026 | Geology Paper-I/ Statistics Paper-I | Geology Paper-II/ Statistics Paper-II |
UPSC IFS Mains Exam Shift Timings 2026
The UPSC will conduct the IFS Mains examination in two shifts across 07 days. The morning session will be conducted between 09:00 am to 12:00 pm and the afternoon session will be conducted between 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm.
| Session | Timings |
| Morning Session | 09:00 am to 12:00 pm |
| Afternoon Session | 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm |
UPSC IFS Mains Exam Pattern 2026
The UPSC IFS Mains exam consists of descriptive type questions. The Mains is conducted for a total of 06 papers including General English, General Knowledge and two optional subjects. Each paper is of 3 hour duration. General English and General Knowledge are compulsory papers.
| Paper | Subject | Total Marks |
| Paper I | General English | 300 |
| Paper II | General Knowledge | 300 |
| Paper III | Optional I | 200 |
| Paper IV | Optional II | 200 |
| Paper V | Optional III | 200 |
| Paper VI | Optional IV | 200 |
Upasna is an education journalist and subject matter expert with an extensive background in the competitive exam landscape. Currently contributing to the Exam Prep Section of Jagran Josh, Upasna specializes in creating well-researched, aspirant-centric content and simplifying complex topics for competitive examinations. Her academic expertise, coupled with her own firsthand experience preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, helps her provide strategic preparation insights and a comprehensive perspective to aspirants. She holds a Master's degree in Forensic Chemical Sciences. Apart from delivering valuable exam resources, Upasna is a passionate communications professional who also enjoys reading and writing.
