UPSC 2026: 5 Documents You Need Before Jan 14 Notification

UPSC 2026: The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 will be conducted in the month of May as per the official UPSC Exam Calendar 2026. The candidates are required to first fill the application form in order to appear for the exam. The application process start date will be mentioned in the official UPSC CSE Notification 2026 which will be released on 14 January 2026 by the Commission on its official website upsc.gov.in. 

During the application process, the candidates are required to upload certain documents to complete their registration. It is advisable to the candidates that they should keep these documents handy before proceeding with the application process. As the notification is expected around the corner, the candidates must start gathering these documents to save time and avoid last minute hassles.

UPSC 2026

The Union Public Service Commission conducts the UPSC CSE exam every once in a year. This exam is being conducted to recruit the suitable candidates for All India Services including Indian Administrative Services, Indian Police Services, Indian Foreign Services, and various other Group B Services. In order to apply for this exam, the candidate must be a graduate from any recognized University in India. The UPSC CSE consists of a three-step selection process which includes, Preliminary (objective-type), Mains (Descriptive), and Interview/ Personality Test.

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Documents Required to Apply for the UPSC CSE 2026

With the release of the UPSC CSE 2026 official notification on 14 January 2026, the application process will also start. The candidates who are waiting for the opening of the application portal can till then collect the documents that are required to be uploaded on the application portal. These documents are:

• Valid ID Proof

• Educational Certificates

• Passport Size Photograph and Signature

• Category Certificate

• Proof of Date of Birth

1. Valid ID Proof

The candidates should upload the government issued ID proof which contains all the accurate information about the candidate. The candidates can use these ID proofs:

• Aadhaar Card

• Voter ID (EPIC)

• Passport

• PAN Card

• Driving License

The ID proof must be valid and must be scanned in the prescribed format.

Why it matters: UPSC uses this to verify your identity across all stages. A mismatch can cause cancellation of candidature.

2. Educational Certificates

Candidates are required to submit the proof of their educational qualification that they possess the minimum qualification to be eligible for the UPSC CSE 2026. The candidates require these certificates:

• Graduation degree certificate (or provisional certificate)

UPSC requires this certificate to confirm your eligibility. Also, the candidates who are waiting for their degree certificate, can also upload their provisional degree certificates.

3. Recent Photograph and Signature

The candidates are required to upload their recent passport size photograph and signature on the portal to complete their registration process. The instructions for the photograph and signature are:

Photo requirements:

• The photograph uploaded by the candidate should not be more than 10 days old from the start of the online application process (i.e. the application commencement date). 

• Ensure that the name of the candidate and the date on which the photograph was taken are clearly mentioned on the photograph.

• The candidate’s face should occupy 3/4th of the space in the photograph.

NOTE: The candidates must ensure that their appearance must match with their photograph at each stage of the Examination Process i.e. at the time of Preliminary, Main (Written) and Interview/Personality Test. For instance, If a candidate uploads a bearded photograph, he must appear with the same look in the Preliminary, Main (Written) and Interview/Personality Test. Same would be the case with spectacles, moustaches, etc. 

4. Category Certificates

If a candidate wants to claim reservation benefit based on their category then they are required to submit the Category Certificate for SC/ ST/ OBC/ EWS/ PwBD in the prescribed format as per the notification.

5. Proof of Date of Birth

UPSC strictly verifies your age eligibility, so accurate DOB proof is critical. The candidates can produce one of the following documents as proof of age:

• Class 10 / Matriculation certificate

• Birth certificate

• Passport

Bonus Tips Before the UPSC 2026 Notification

• Organize soft and hard copies: Prepare your documents in scanned copies and save it as PDFs.

• Check validity dates: Validity dates are required in category certificates. Those who are going to avail reservation benefits must produce the category certificate in a certain timeline which is mentioned in the notification.

• Avoid name mismatches: The candidate’s name must be the same across all the documents. There should be no mismatch in the name spellings as it can lead to rejection of the application.

• Stay updated: UPSC can change the guidelines at its discretion any time, therefore, the candidates must go through the official notification once.

Getting these 5 essential documents ready before Jan 14, 2026 will give you a huge advantage. It minimizes stress, helps you fill the UPSC form accurately the first time, and keeps your focus where it matters most on exam preparation.