UPSC IFoS 2026 · EXAM UPDATE · MAINS TIME TABLE
The official paper-wise schedule UPSC released on 17 September 2026 — with the date for every optional subject, the marks scheme, and a nine-week plan to the first paper.
UPSC has released the UPSC IFS Mains time table 2026. The Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026 will be held from Sunday, 22 November to Sunday, 29 November 2026, with General English and General Knowledge on the opening day and the fourteen optional subjects spread across the following week. The time table was uploaded on upsc.gov.in on 17 September 2026. This page sets out the complete official schedule, shows you the exact date of your two optional subjects, and explains what the layout means for your final nine weeks of preparation — including for candidates who also wrote the Civil Services Mains in August.
Quick Answer
The UPSC IFS Mains 2026 runs from 22 to 29 November 2026. General English (forenoon) and General Knowledge (afternoon) are on 22 November. Optional papers follow from 23 November, with both papers of each optional subject on the same day — Paper I from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and Paper II from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. There is no paper on 24 November (gazetted holiday). All papers are conventional, three hours long and must be answered in English.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Exam: Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026
- Dates: 22–29 November 2026 (no paper on 24 November)
- Time table released: 17 September 2026, on upsc.gov.in
- Sessions: 9:00 AM–12:00 Noon and 2:30 PM–5:30 PM
- Written papers: 6 (General English, General Knowledge, two optionals × two papers)
- Written total: 1400 marks · Interview: 300 marks
- Medium: English only
- Expected vacancies: approximately 80 (as per the IFS 2026 notification)
Official UPSC IFS Mains Time Table 2026
The schedule below reproduces the official UPSC document exactly, paper for paper. Where a slot lists more than one subject, each candidate writes only the subject he or she has opted for.
| Date & Day | Forenoon (9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon) | Afternoon (2:30 PM – 5:30 PM) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 November 2026 (Sunday) | General English | General Knowledge |
| 23 November 2026 (Monday) | Mathematics Paper-I / Zoology Paper-I | Mathematics Paper-II / Zoology Paper-II |
| 24 November 2026 (Tuesday) | No paper (Gazetted Holiday) | No paper (Gazetted Holiday) |
| 25 November 2026 (Wednesday) | Civil Engineering Paper-I / Chemical Engineering Paper-I / Mechanical Engineering Paper-I | Civil Engineering Paper-II / Chemical Engineering Paper-II / Mechanical Engineering Paper-II |
| 26 November 2026 (Thursday) | 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 November 2026 (Friday) | Agriculture Paper-I / Forestry Paper-I | Agriculture Paper-II / Forestry Paper-II |
| 28 November 2026 (Saturday) | Physics Paper-I | Physics Paper-II |
| 29 November 2026 (Sunday) | Geology Paper-I / Statistics Paper-I | Geology Paper-II / Statistics Paper-II |
Source: UPSC, Time Table — Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026 (uploaded 17 September 2026).
IFS Mains 2026 Exam Timings
Every day follows the same two sessions: the forenoon session from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and the afternoon session from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Each paper is three hours. Plan your reporting time around the instructions printed on your e-Admit Card, which will carry the venue-specific entry closing time.
Your IFS Mains 2026 Exam Date by Optional Subject
The most useful way to read this time table is by subject. In 2026, both papers of an optional are written on the same day, so each of your two optionals occupies one full exam day. Find your two subjects below.
| Optional subject | Exam date | Paper I (forenoon) | Paper II (afternoon) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 23 Nov (Mon) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Zoology | 23 Nov (Mon) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Civil Engineering | 25 Nov (Wed) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Chemical Engineering | 25 Nov (Wed) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Mechanical Engineering | 25 Nov (Wed) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Agricultural Engineering | 26 Nov (Thu) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science | 26 Nov (Thu) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Botany | 26 Nov (Thu) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Chemistry | 26 Nov (Thu) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Agriculture | 27 Nov (Fri) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Forestry | 27 Nov (Fri) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Physics | 28 Nov (Sat) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Geology | 29 Nov (Sun) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
| Statistics | 29 Nov (Sun) | 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM |
Subjects That Share a Date — Check Your Pair Now
Because subjects in the same slot are written at the same time, no candidate can sit two subjects from the same row. Some of these same-day groupings are already ruled out by the IFS rules on combinations; others are not. It is worth checking your own pair against this list the day you read it:
| Same date | Subjects in the same slot | Is the pair already barred by the IFS rules? |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov | Mathematics, Zoology | No |
| 25 Nov | Civil, Chemical, Mechanical Engineering | Yes — not more than one engineering subject is allowed |
| 26 Nov | Agricultural Engineering, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry | No — none of these pairs is barred by the combination rules |
| 27 Nov | Agriculture, Forestry | Yes — Agriculture and Forestry cannot be combined |
| 29 Nov | Geology, Statistics | No |
Action Point
Your optional subjects were on record with UPSC well before this time table was issued, so your two subjects should normally fall on two different dates. If they appear in the same slot, raise it with the UPSC facilitation helpdesk (011-24041001 / 011-40303444) immediately rather than waiting for the e-Admit Card.
For the full list of permitted and barred pairings, and how to choose between them, see our explainer on IFS optional subjects and combinations.
UPSC IFS Mains 2026 Exam Scheme
The written Mains carries 1400 marks and the Personality Test 300 marks, for a final total of 1700. The breakdown below is taken from the Indian Forest Service Examination, 2026 notification.
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General English | 300 |
| Paper II | General Knowledge | 300 |
| Papers III & IV | Optional Subject 1 — Paper I and Paper II | 200 + 200 |
| Papers V & VI | Optional Subject 2 — Paper I and Paper II | 200 + 200 |
| Written total | 1400 | |
| Interview | Personality Test | 300 |
| Grand total | 1700 |
Rules Printed in the Notification
- All papers are conventional (essay) type and three hours long.
- All question papers must be answered in English; papers are set in English only.
- Each optional paper has eight questions in two parts (A and B). Candidates attempt five: one compulsory question from each part plus three more, with at least one more from each part.
- Optional syllabi are pitched at roughly honours-degree level — above a bachelor’s degree, below a master’s. For engineering subjects, the level corresponds to the bachelor’s degree.
- General Knowledge covers current events and everyday science, plus Indian Polity, History of India and Geography “of a nature which the candidate should be able to answer without special study”.
- Non-programmable scientific calculators are permitted in the conventional papers.
- Deductions can be made for illegible handwriting, and marks are not given for “mere superficial knowledge”.
What Stands Out in the 2026 Time Table
1. The General papers come first
General English and General Knowledge together carry 600 of the 1400 written marks, and both are on the opening Sunday. That puts 43% of the written total into the first day — and means your General English essay and précis practice must peak early, not in the final week.
2. One optional, one full day
Each optional is written as two back-to-back three-hour papers. Six hours of technical writing in a single day rewards stamina and speed of recall. Your mock tests should copy that format: write both papers of a subject on the same day at least three or four times before 22 November.
3. A built-in break on 24 November
There is no paper on Tuesday, 24 November. Candidates whose first optional falls on 23 November get a full day before the next exam day; others simply have an extra revision day inside the exam window.
4. The spread differs by subject
A Mathematics–Physics candidate writes on 22, 23 and 28 November; a Botany–Zoology candidate on 22, 23 and 26 November; a Geology candidate’s last paper is on the final day, 29 November. Map your own three exam days onto a calendar now and plan revision backwards from each one.
If You Also Wrote CSE Mains 2026
The Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026 ended on 30 August 2026. The IFS Mains begins 12 weeks later. Many IFS candidates are writing both, and the overlap is real but partial:
- Shared optionals: eleven IFS optionals also exist in the CSE list — Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Geology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Statistics and Zoology. If one of your IFS subjects was also your CSE optional, it is your strongest paper — but IFS papers are 200 marks each against 250 in CSE, so your answers need tightening, not expansion.
- IFS-only optionals: Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Forestry have no CSE equivalent. If one of these is your second subject, give it the larger share of the next nine weeks.
- General Knowledge vs GS: your CSE GS preparation covers most of the GK paper, but GK tests breadth and everyday science at a non-specialist level. Short, factual answers score better than GS-style essays here.
- General English: there is no CSE equivalent. Essay, précis and usage need separate, timed practice.
The CSE Mains result is also likely to arrive during your IFS preparation. Our UPSC Mains Result 2026 guide sets out the historical pattern; do not let it break your IFS routine, and keep your DAF-II details ready so that form filling takes an evening, not a week.
A Nine-Week Plan to 22 November
From 21 September there are nine weeks to the first paper. The plan below assumes you know both optional syllabi at least once over.
| Weeks | Dates (approx.) | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | 21 Sep – 11 Oct | Close syllabus gaps in the weaker optional; one General English essay and one précis every week; start a GK current-affairs sheet |
| 4–6 | 12 Oct – 1 Nov | Previous-year papers for both optionals under timed conditions; revise the stronger optional in full; weekly GK revision |
| 7–8 | 2 Nov – 15 Nov | Full-day mocks in the real format — both papers of one subject in a day; one full GE + GK mock day |
| 9 | 16 Nov – 21 Nov | Short notes, diagrams and formulae only; no new material; rehearse exam-day timings |
LotusArise Tip
Write answers in the exact structure the paper demands: eight questions, five attempted, one compulsory per part. Practising with free-choice question sets trains the wrong habit. Previous-year papers are the closest thing to the real exam you will get.
What Comes After the Time Table
- e-Admit Card: UPSC will publish the IFS Mains e-Admit Card on upsc.gov.in before the exam. No release date has been announced yet. The admit card, not this time table, confirms your venue and entry rules.
- Interview shortlist: the notification states that the number of candidates called for the Personality Test will be about twice the number of vacancies.
- Vacancies: approximately 80 — 33 UR, 21 OBC, 12 SC, 8 EWS and 6 ST — as stated in the notification. The number is liable to change.
- Final ranking: based on Mains written marks plus interview marks (1700 in all). The interview has no minimum qualifying marks.
For every other UPSC date in the 2026–27 cycle, see the UPSC Calendar.
UPSC IFS Mains Time Table 2026: FAQs
Sources: UPSC IFS (Main) 2026 Time Table; Indian Forest Service Examination, 2026 notification; UPSC CSE (Main) 2026 Time Table. Checked on 21 September 2026.