UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS) 2026: Complete Exam Guide

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS), 2026 [Notice No. 06/2026-CMS] to recruit Medical Officers and General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) into the Central Health Service (CHS), Indian Railways, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

As of September 11, 2026, the examination is in the result declared / DAF submission stage. UPSC successfully conducted the Computer-Based Examination (CBT) on Sunday, August 2, 2026, and officially published the list of shortlisted candidates on September 1, 2026. Qualified doctors are now proceeding to the Detailed Application Form (DAF) verification and 100-mark Personality Test round.

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1. UPSC CMS 2026 Key Highlights & Official Timeline

Feature	Official Details
Exam Name	Combined Medical Services Examination, 2026 (UPSC CMS 2026)
Conducting Authority	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Cadre / Target Roles	Medical Officers, ADMO (Railways), GDMO (CHS, NDMC, MCD)
Notification Notice No.	06/2026-CMS
Notification Release Date	March 11, 2026
Online Application Period	March 11, 2026 to March 31, 2026 (6:00 PM)
Written Examination (CBT) Date	August 2, 2026 (Sunday)
Written CBT Result Declaration	September 1, 2026 (Declared)
DAF Online Submission Window	Active on upsconline.nic.in until September 21, 2026 (6:00 PM)
Current Stage / Status	Result Declared / DAF Submission Active
Next Stage	Personality Test / Interview (100 Marks)
Official Portals	upsc.gov.in & upsconline.nic.in

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2. Participating Services & Category Distribution

Successful candidates are appointed to Group 'A' and Group 'B' medical posts across two primary categories:

Category I

• Central Health Service (CHS): Medical Officers Grade in General Duty Medical Officers Sub-cadre under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Category II

• Indian Railways: Assistant Divisional Medical Officer (ADMO) in Railway Health Service.
• New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC): General Duty Medical Officer (GDMO).
• Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD): General Duty Medical Officer (GDMO) Grade-II.

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3. Rigorous Eligibility & Medical Qualifications

A. Academic & Professional Qualifications

• Candidates must have passed the written and practical parts of the final M.B.B.S. examination from a recognized medical college/university recognized by the National Medical Commission (NMC / formerly MCI).
• Provisional Eligibility: A candidate who has appeared or has yet to appear at the final M.B.B.S. examination was eligible to apply provisionally.
• Compulsory Rotating Internship: Candidates admitted to the examination who had not completed their compulsory rotating internship are required to submit completion certificates prior to final appointment.

B. Age Limits & Cutoff Benchmark

• Candidates must not have attained the age of 32 years as on August 1, 2026 (i.e., born not earlier than August 2, 1994).
• Age Concession for GDMO in CHS: The upper age limit is relaxable up to 35 years for certain sub-cadres / posts in CHS as notified in the rules.
• Standard Category Relaxations:
  • SC / ST: Up to 5 years (Max 37 years).
  • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): Up to 3 years (Max 35 years).
  • Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Up to 10 years.

C. Physical and Medical Standards

• Candidates must be physically and medically fit according to the Physical Standards Regulations for the Combined Medical Services Examination. Medical boards conduct rigorous pre-appointment checkups.

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4. Examination Scheme & Paper Pattern (Total: 600 Marks)

The examination consists of two structured parts:

Stage	Examination Component	Marks Allocation	Nature & Assessment Focus
Part-I	Computer-Based Examination (CBT) • Paper I: General Medicine & Paediatrics (250 M) • Paper II: Surgery, Gynae/Obs, PSM (250 M)	500 Marks	Objective test with 1/3 negative marking (Conducted 2 August 2026)
Part-II	Personality Test / Interview Clinical & personality evaluation board at UPSC Dholpur House	100 Marks	Assesses diagnostic acumen, judgment, character, and crisis response
Final Merit	Final All-India Merit List CBT Score (500) + Personality Test Score (100)	600 Marks	Final cadre allocation across CHS, Railways, NDMC, and MCD

Selection & Evaluation Flow

1. Written Examination (CBT - 500 Marks): Successfully conducted on August 2, 2026. Candidates securing qualifying marks were declared eligible for interview on September 1, 2026.
2. Detailed Application Form (DAF): Qualified doctors upload academic credentials, NMC registration, and internship completion proofs on upsconline.nic.in.
3. Personality Test (100 Marks): Board interview assessing clinical capabilities, medical ethics, and general aptitude.

Part-I: Computer Based Examination (500 Marks)

The written examination was conducted across two distinct shifts:

Paper	Subjects & Question Distribution	Questions	Duration	Marks	Timing
Paper I (Code: 01)	General Medicine (96 questions) Paediatrics (24 questions)	120 MCQs	2 Hours	250	09:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Paper II (Code: 02)	Surgery (40 questions) Gynaecology & Obstetrics (40 questions) Preventive & Social Medicine (PSM) (40 questions)	120 MCQs	2 Hours	250	02:00 PM – 04:00 PM

• Marking Scheme: Objective Multiple Choice Questions with one-third (⅓) of the marks assigned to that question deducted as penalty for every incorrect answer (approximately 0.69 marks deducted per wrong response, since each question carries ~2.08 marks).
• Medium: English only.

Part-II: Personality Test / Interview (100 Marks)

Candidates declared qualified in the CBT are called for the interview conducted by a UPSC Board. The interview assesses:

• Clinical knowledge, diagnostics, and medical decision-making.
• Intellectual curiosity, integrity, and balance of judgement.
• Ability for crisis management, leadership, and public health awareness.

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5. DAF Submission & Interview Preparation Guidelines

Doctors who cleared the written examination must adhere to the following steps:

1. DAF Registration: Access the DAF portal on upsconline.nic.in and log in using your Roll Number and Date of Birth.
2. Service Preferences: Submit preferences among CHS, ADMO in Railways, NDMC, and MCD.
3. Document Uploads: Upload self-attested copies of:
   • Matriculation Certificate (Date of birth proof).
   • MBBS Degree / Provisional Certificate and consolidated mark sheets.
   • Internship Completion Certificate.
   • Permanent / Provisional Registration Certificate issued by NMC or State Medical Council.
   • Category / EWS / Disability Certificate (if claiming reservation).
4. Interview Call Letter: The e-Summon letter for Personality Tests is uploaded on upsc.gov.in detailing the interview schedule.

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6. Official Resources & Verified Links

Resource	Direct Official Link
Official Portal (UPSC)	upsc.gov.in
DAF & Online Application Portal	upsconline.nic.in
UPSC CMS Written CBT Results	UPSC Written Results
Official CMS 2026 Examination Notice	UPSC CMS 2026 Notification
Previous Question Papers Archive	UPSC Previous Question Papers

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7. Frequently Asked Questions (English & हिन्दी)

Q1. When was the UPSC CMS 2026 written exam result declared?

The UPSC declared the Computer-Based Examination (CBT) result of CMS 2026 on September 1, 2026. Qualified candidates are now shortlisted for the Personality Test (Interview).

Q2. What was the exact exam date for UPSC CMS 2026?

The UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination 2026 was held on Sunday, August 2, 2026 in two shifts (Paper-I from 09:30 AM to 11:30 AM and Paper-II from 02:00 PM to 04:00 PM).

Q3. यूपीएससी सीएमएस 2026 का परिणाम कब जारी हुआ?

यूपीएससी ने कंबाइंड मेडिकल सर्विसेज (CMS) 2026 की कंप्यूटर आधारित परीक्षा (CBT) का परिणाम 1 सितंबर 2026 को घोषित किया। साक्षात्कार के लिए सफल डॉक्टरों की रोल नंबर सूची upsc.gov.in पर उपलब्ध है।

Q4. यूपीएससी सीएमएस में कितने अंकों की परीक्षा होती है?

यूपीएससी सीएमएस परीक्षा कुल 600 अंकों की होती है — 500 अंक की कंप्यूटर आधारित लिखित परीक्षा (पेपर-1: 250 अंक, पेपर-2: 250 अंक) और 100 अंक का साक्षात्कार (Personality Test)।

Q5. क्या सीएमएस परीक्षा में गलत उत्तर पर निगेटिव मार्किंग होती है?

हाँ, यूपीएससी सीएमएस परीक्षा के प्रत्येक वस्तुनिष्ठ प्रश्न में गलत उत्तर अंकित करने पर निर्धारित अंक का एक-तिहाई (1/3 या 0.33) अंक काटा जाता है।