Competitive Exam Calendar 2026 — SSC, Banking, Railways & UPSC Exam Dates

Keeping track of every SSC, banking, railway, and UPSC exam date across the year is hard — especially when each recruiting body releases its own calendar on a different date. This competitive exam calendar 2026 brings together the official notification, prelims, and mains dates for India's biggest government exams in one place, sourced from the official calendars released by UPSC, SSC, and IBPS.

Competitive Exam Calendar 2026 — At a Glance

Exam	Category	Prelims / Tier 1	Mains / Tier 2
UPSC Civil Services (CSE)	UPSC	24 May 2026 (conducted)	Expected from August 2026
SSC CGL 2026	SSC	Tier 1 conducted; Tier 2 ongoing	—
SSC CHSL 2026	SSC	July–September 2026	To follow Tier 1
IBPS PO 2026	Banking	22–23 August 2026	4 October 2026
IBPS SO 2026	Banking	29 August 2026	1 November 2026
IBPS Clerk (CSA) 2026	Banking	10–11 October 2026	27 December 2026
SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) 2026	Banking	27 September & 3 October 2026	7 November 2026
IBPS RRB Officer Scale I 2026	Banking	21–22 November 2026	20 December 2026
IBPS RRB Office Assistant 2026	Banking	6, 12 & 13 December 2026	30 January 2027
RRB NTPC 2026	Railways	As per RRB NTPC schedule	—

Dates are based on official calendars released by UPSC, SSC (14 March 2026), and IBPS (16 January 2026). Individual exam notifications can revise these dates — always cross-check with the exam's official notification before applying.

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted on 24 May 2026 in two shifts — General Studies Paper 1 in the morning and CSAT in the afternoon. UPSC Mains 2026 is expected to begin around August 2026, with the exact schedule confirmed only through the official UPSC Mains admit card. Read our detailed UPSC Mains 2026 preparation strategy for a subject-wise 90-day plan.

SSC Exam Calendar 2026

SSC released its 2026–27 exam calendar on 14 March 2026, laying out the tentative schedule for CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD Constable, CPO, and JE exams through the year. SSC CGL Tier 1 has already been conducted this cycle; SSC CHSL Tier 1 is scheduled for July–September 2026 (see our full SSC CHSL 2026 notification guide for eligibility, vacancy, and pattern details). For CGL details, check our SSC CGL syllabus 2026 guide.

Banking Exam Calendar 2026 (IBPS & SBI)

IBPS released its official 2026–27 calendar on 16 January 2026, confirming prelims and mains dates for PO, Clerk, SO, and RRB recruitment. SBI has separately notified dates for SBI PO and SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) recruitment. For eligibility and vacancy details, see our guides on IBPS PO 2026, IBPS Clerk 2026, SBI PO 2026, and SBI Clerk 2026.

Railways Exam Calendar 2026

RRB conducts recruitment for NTPC, Group D, ALP, and JE posts through the year, with CBT schedules notified separately for each zone. See our RRB NTPC 2026 guide for the latest vacancy and exam date details.

How to Stay Updated on Exam Date Changes

Exam dates are frequently revised by conducting bodies due to overlapping schedules or logistical reasons. The safest way to track live changes is:

1. Bookmark the FreePrep Exam Calendar — updated as soon as official notices are released.
2. Check the latest exam notifications page for admit card, result, and date-change alerts.
3. Practice with free, exam-pattern-matched mock tests so you're ready whenever the date is confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the SSC exam calendar 2026 released?
SSC released its official 2026–27 exam calendar on 14 March 2026, covering CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD Constable, and other exams.

When was the IBPS calendar 2026 released?
IBPS released its official 2026–27 exam calendar on 16 January 2026 on ibps.in, covering PO, Clerk, SO, and RRB exams.

When is UPSC Prelims 2026?
UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 was conducted on 24 May 2026.

Where can I check live exam date updates for free?
Use the FreePrep Exam Calendar and notifications page, both updated as official dates are announced.

Can exam dates in this calendar change?
Yes. Always verify the final date against the exam's official notification — this calendar is based on the latest official calendars but individual notifications can revise specific dates.