Upcoming Government Exams 2027: Complete Calendar
If you're preparing for a government job, 2027 planning starts now.
UPSC has already published its full 2027 calendar — released on 20 May 2026 — with the Civil Services Prelims set for 23 May 2027 and Mains from 20 August 2027 (Padhai). Some 2027 cycles have already opened: the Engineering Services application window closed on 6 October 2026 (Careers360).
Other recruiters — SSC, IBPS, RBI, Railway Recruitment Boards and state commissions — publish their schedules closer to the year, often in December or January. This guide brings everything together in one place and clearly marks what is confirmed and what is expected based on past patterns. Bookmark it: we'll keep it as your one-stop planner for the year.
All dates can change. UPSC's own calendar notes that notification and exam dates are liable to alteration if circumstances warrant (Careers360). Always confirm on the official website before you apply.
2027 at a glance: month by month
✅ = confirmed date🕒 = expected, based on past patterns
| Month | Exams and key deadlines |
|---|---|
| Dec 2026 (deadlines) | ✅ NDA/CDS (I) applications close 22 Dec✅ IBPS RRB Officer Mains 20 Dec✅ IBPS Clerk Mains 27 Dec🕒 SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 |
| January 2027 | ✅ UPSC Geo-Scientist Prelims 10 Jan✅ UPSC ESE Prelims 31 Jan✅ CSE notification 13 Jan✅ IBPS RRB Office Assistant Mains 30 Jan🕒 AFCAT 1🕒 SSC GD Constable (Jan–Mar)🕒 UGC NET (Dec 2026 cycle) |
| February 2027 | ✅ CSE applications close 2 Feb✅ GATE 2027 (6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 Feb)✅ CBI DSP LDCE 27 Feb✅ IES/ISS notification 10 Feb🕒 Army Agniveer registration opens (Feb–Apr) |
| March 2027 | ✅ CISF AC LDCE 14 Mar🕒 SSC CGL 2027 notification🕒 RRB NTPC UG CBT🕒 PSU hiring via GATE begins |
| April 2027 | ✅ NDA & CDS (I) 11 Apr🕒 UGC NET June notification |
| May 2027 | ✅ UPSC CSE and IFoS Prelims 23 May🕒 SSC CGL 2027 Tier 1 (May–June) |
| June 2027 | ✅ Geo-Scientist Mains 19 Jun✅ ESE Mains✅ IES/ISS exam🕒 UGC NET June cycle |
| July 2027 | ✅ CAPF AC 4 Jul✅ Combined Medical Services 18 Jul |
| August 2027 | ✅ UPSC CSE Mains from 20 Aug🕒 IBPS PO and SBI exams begin🕒 AFCAT 2 |
| September 2027 | ✅ NDA & CDS (II) 19 Sep |
| Oct–Dec 2027 | ✅ IFoS Mains 21 Nov🕒 IBPS Clerk, RRB and SO exams🕒 SSC GD 2028 cycle |
All ✅ dates come from UPSC's official 2027 calendar, IBPS's 2026–27 calendar or GATE's official schedule, as cited in the sections below.
UPSC 2027: confirmed calendar
UPSC's 2027 calendar is official. Apply at upsc.gov.in using One Time Registration (OTR).
| Exam | Notification | Last date to apply | Exam date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Geo-Scientist (Prelims) | 2 Sep 2026 | 22 Sep 2026 | 10 Jan 2027 |
| Engineering Services (Prelims) | 16 Sep 2026 | 6 Oct 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 |
| CISF AC (Exe) LDCE | 25 Nov 2026 | 15 Dec 2026 | 14 Mar 2027 |
| CBI (DSP) LDCE | 16 Dec 2026 | 5 Jan 2027 | 27 Feb 2027 |
| NDA & NA (I) and CDS (I) | 2 Dec 2026 | 22 Dec 2026 | 11 Apr 2027 |
| Civil Services (Prelims) and Indian Forest Service (Prelims) | 13 Jan 2027 | 2 Feb 2027 | 23 May 2027 |
| Combined Geo-Scientist (Mains) | — | — | 19 Jun 2027 |
| Engineering Services (Mains) | — | — | June 2027 |
| Indian Economic / Statistical Service | 10 Feb 2027 | Per notification | June 2027 |
| CAPF Assistant Commandants | Per calendar | Per notification | 4 Jul 2027 |
| Combined Medical Services | Per calendar | Per notification | 18 Jul 2027 |
| Civil Services (Mains) | — | — | From 20 Aug 2027 (five days) |
| NDA & NA (II) and CDS (II) | Per calendar | Per notification | 19 Sep 2027 |
| Indian Forest Service (Mains) | — | — | 21 Nov 2027 |
Sources: Careers360, Commerce Insights, Legacy IAS, GovtJobsAlert. Download the official calendar PDF from upsc.gov.in to confirm the dates marked "per calendar".
Watch out: the Geo-Scientist and Engineering Services application windows for 2027 have already closed. The next big deadlines are NDA/CDS (I) on 22 December 2026 and Civil Services on 2 February 2027.
SSC: what's running now and what's next
The Staff Selection Commission recruits for Group B and C central government posts. Apply at ssc.gov.in. SSC's 2027–28 calendar has not been released yet; trackers expect it on ssc.gov.in soon, with the next exam session from around March 2027 (Shiksha).
| Exam | Status | Key dates |
|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL 2026 | Ongoing | Tier 1 from 30 Sep to 30 Oct 2026; Tier 2 expected December 2026 (Adda247) |
| SSC GD Constable 2027 (CAPFs, NIA, SSF, Assam Rifles) | Per the 2026–27 calendar | Applications 30 Sep – 31 Oct 2026; exam January–March 2027 (Shiksha) |
| SSC CGL 2027 | Expected | Notification around March 2027; Tier 1 around May–June 2027 (tentative) |
| SSC CHSL, MTS, JE, Stenographer, CPO 2027 | Expected | Dates to be announced in the 2027–28 calendar |
For scale: more than 28 lakh candidates are appearing for CGL 2026 Tier 1, which is why the exam runs for about a month (Testbook). Start CGL 2027 preparation now if you're targeting it.
Banking: IBPS, SBI, RBI and regulators
Exams from the current cycle that run into early 2027. IBPS's 2026–27 calendar, released on 16 January 2026, runs from August 2026 to January 2027 (PracticeMock, FreeJobAlert). The remaining dates are:
| Exam | Stage | Date |
|---|---|---|
| IBPS RRB Officer Scale I | Prelims | 21–22 Nov 2026 |
| IBPS RRB Office Assistant | Prelims | 6, 12 and 13 Dec 2026 |
| IBPS RRB Officer Scale I, II and III | Mains / single exam | 20 Dec 2026 |
| IBPS Clerk (CSA) | Mains | 27 Dec 2026 |
| IBPS RRB Office Assistant | Mains | 30 Jan 2027 |
Source: Bankopedia. Provisional allotment for this cycle is listed for March 2027.
The 2027–28 banking cycle (expected). If IBPS follows last year's pattern, its next calendar should appear around January 2027, with exams again running from about August 2027 to January 2028. SBI PO and SBI Clerk usually come first in the cycle. Apply at ibps.in and sbi.co.in/web/careers.
RBI, SEBI, NABARD and other regulators. RBI Grade B, SEBI Grade A, NABARD Grade A, IRDAI, PFRDA, SIDBI and IFSCA don't publish fixed annual calendars. Notifications typically appear between spring and autumn. Check opportunities.rbi.org.in, sebi.gov.in and nabard.org regularly, and see our earlier guide to hidden high-paying regulator jobs.
Railways: RRB exams in 2027
The Ministry of Railways publishes an annual recruitment calendar. Under the 2026–27 calendar, notifications are released quarter by quarter, so many exams for posts advertised in late 2026 will be held in 2027 (ApplyRRB).
| Recruitment | Notification window (2026–27 calendar) | What to expect in 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| NTPC Graduate (Levels 4–6) and Undergraduate (Levels 2–3) | July–September 2026 | CBTs likely in 2027; one tracker lists the NTPC UG exam around March 2027 (Adda247) |
| JE, DMS, CMA and Paramedical | July–September 2026 | CBTs likely in 2027 |
| Group D (Level 1), Ministerial and Isolated | October–December 2026 | Applications and CBTs likely in 2027 |
| ALP and Technician (next cycle) | Expected January–March 2027 under the next calendar | Based on the annual pattern |
The Railway Board typically releases the next annual calendar in December or January; the 2026–27 calendar came out in December 2025 (Careerera). Apply only through official RRB websites or the common portal at rrbapply.gov.in, and watch Employment News for CEN (Centralised Employment Notice) numbers.
Defence: beyond UPSC's NDA and CDS
| Exam | What to expect in 2027 | Apply at |
|---|---|---|
| AFCAT 1 2027 (Air Force officers) | Notification expected around November 2026; exam likely January or February 2027 (Careers360) | afcat.cdac.in |
| AFCAT 2 2027 | Usually notified around May–June, with the exam around August (based on past cycles) | afcat.cdac.in |
| Army Agniveer | For the 2027 recruiting year, registration ran 13 Feb – 1 Apr 2026, with the online entrance exam tentatively 1–15 Jun 2026 (Eastern Mirror). If the pattern holds, the next registration window should open around February–April 2027 | joinindianarmy.nic.in |
| Navy and Air Force Agniveer | Typically one or two intakes a year; watch for notifications in the first half of 2027 | joinindiannavy.gov.in, agnipathvayu.cdac.in |
| Indian Coast Guard (Assistant Commandant, Navik, Yantrik) | Officer and enlisted intakes are notified through the year | joinindiancoastguard.cdac.in |
| Army technical, JAG and NCC special entries | Notified through the year; check regularly | joinindianarmy.nic.in |
For the 2027 Agniveer cycle, the Army raised the maximum age to 22 years. Check each notification for the latest age and qualification rules.
PSUs through GATE, and teaching exams
GATE 2027 and PSU recruitment. GATE 2027, organised by IIT Madras, is scheduled for 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027; registration closed on 30 September 2026 (with late fee). After results, usually in March, PSUs such as NTPC, ONGC, IOCL, POWERGRID, BHEL and GAIL open GATE-based hiring, typically between March and May 2027. Most PSUs accept only the current year's GATE score, so plan to apply in the same cycle. Exam information is at gate2027.iitm.ac.in; apply on each PSU's careers page.
UGC NET (for Assistant Professor eligibility and JRF). NTA conducts it twice a year. The December 2026 cycle is expected in December 2026 or January 2027, with results around February 2027 (JRF Adda). For the June 2027 cycle, expect a notification around late April and the exam in late June, following 2026's pattern (notification 29 April, exam 22–30 June). Apply at ugcnet.nta.ac.in.
CTET and teacher recruitment. CTET is typically held twice a year; check ctet.nic.in for the next session. KVS and NVS teacher recruitment and state TETs are notified separately, often with little notice, so track them in Employment News.
State Public Service Commissions
State PSCs recruit for Deputy Collector, DSP, tehsildar, state tax officer and many other posts. Most publish an annual or tentative calendar on their websites, but timelines vary widely and delays are common, so check your state's site directly.
| State | Commission | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | MPSC | mpsc.gov.in |
| Uttar Pradesh | UPPSC | uppsc.up.nic.in |
| Bihar | BPSC | bpsc.bih.nic.in |
| Rajasthan | RPSC | rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | MPPSC | mppsc.mp.gov.in |
| Tamil Nadu | TNPSC | tnpsc.gov.in |
| Karnataka | KPSC | kpsc.kar.nic.in |
| Telangana / Andhra Pradesh | TSPSC / APPSC | tspsc.gov.in / psc.ap.gov.in |
| West Bengal | WBPSC | wbpsc.gov.in |
| Gujarat | GPSC | gpsc.gujarat.gov.in |
Many state syllabi overlap with UPSC, so a strong UPSC foundation helps you attempt both in the same year. Age limits are often more relaxed than UPSC's.
How to plan your 2027 exam year
- Pick a primary exam and one or two backups with overlapping syllabi. For example, UPSC CSE with a state PSC; SSC CGL with IBPS PO; GATE with ESE.
- Work backwards from the exam date. Mark the notification date, the last date to apply and the exam date in your phone calendar today.
- Register early. Complete UPSC One Time Registration and keep scanned photos, signatures, certificates and category documents ready in the required formats.
- Apply in the first week of the window. Portals slow down near deadlines, and payment failures are common on the last day.
- Track only official sources. Use upsc.gov.in, ssc.gov.in, ibps.in, rrbapply.gov.in, each body's own site and employmentnews.gov.in. Ignore WhatsApp "leaked" notices and anyone asking for money for guaranteed selection.
- Build a backup career plan. Prepare with a fixed time limit in mind, and keep a private-sector skill path going alongside. If you have a preparation gap later, our guide on explaining career gaps shows how to present it well.