UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Examination (CGSE) 2026: Complete Exam Guide

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination, 2026 [Notice No. 01/2026-GEOL] to recruit specialized Geoscientists into Group 'A' posts in the Geological Survey of India (GSI) (Ministry of Mines) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) (Ministry of Jal Shakti).

As of September 11, 2026, the 2026 recruitment cycle is in the Stage-III Personality Test (Interview) phase. The UPSC declared the Stage-II Main examination written results on July 20, 2026, shortlisting candidates for the final 200-mark interview at Dholpur House, New Delhi.

[!IMPORTANT] Cycle Clarification (2026 Cycle vs 2027 Cycle):

• 2026 Cycle (This Page): Notified in September 2025; Stage-I Prelims held on February 8, 2026; Stage-II Mains held over 2 days on June 20–21, 2026; Mains written result declared on July 20, 2026; Personality tests underway.
• 2027 Cycle (New Notification): Separately released on September 2, 2026 with an online application window open from September 2 to September 22, 2026, and Stage-I Prelims scheduled for February 21, 2027 (Mains on June 19–20, 2027). Do not confuse the ongoing 2026 interview stage with the newly announced 2027 cycle registration.

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1. UPSC Geo-Scientist 2026 Cycle Timeline & Highlights

Feature	Official Details (2026 Cycle)
Exam Name	Combined Geo-Scientist Examination, 2026 (CGSE 2026)
Conducting Authority	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Notification Notice No.	01/2026-GEOL
Notification Release Date	September 3, 2025
Online Application Period	September 3, 2025 to September 23, 2025
Stage-I Preliminary Exam	February 8, 2026 (Sunday)
Prelims Result Declaration	March 2, 2026
Stage-II Main Exam	June 20 & 21, 2026 (Saturday & Sunday - 2 Days)
Mains Result Declaration	July 20, 2026 (Declared)
Stage-III Personality Test	Autumn 2026 (Active Phase)
Current Stage / Status	Mains Result Declared / Interview Stage
Official Portals	upsc.gov.in & upsconline.nic.in

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2. Participating Departments & Posts (2026 Cycle)

A. Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines

1. Geologist, Group 'A'
2. Geophysicist, Group 'A'
3. Chemist, Group 'A'

B. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Ministry of Jal Shakti

1. Scientist 'B' (Hydrogeology), Group 'A'
2. Scientist 'B' (Geophysics), Group 'A'
3. Scientist 'B' (Chemical), Group 'A'

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3. Post-Wise Educational Qualifications & Age Criteria

Educational requirements differ strictly across disciplines:

Post Title	Prescribed Academic Qualification
Geologist (Group 'A' - GSI)	Master’s degree in Geological Science or Geology or Applied Geology or Geo-Exploration or Mineral Exploration or Engineering Geology or Marine Geology or Earth Science and Resource Management or Oceanography and Coastal Areas Studies or Petroleum Geosciences or Geochemistry from a recognized university.
Scientist 'B' (Hydrogeology) (CGWB)	Master’s degree in Geology or Applied Geology or Marine Geology or Hydrogeology from a recognized university.
Geophysicist (GSI) & Scientist 'B' (Geophysics) (CGWB)	M.Sc. in Physics or Applied Physics OR M.Sc. (Geophysics) OR Integrated M.Sc. (Exploration Geophysics) OR M.Sc. (Applied Geophysics) OR M.Sc. (Marine Geophysics) OR M.Sc. (Tech.) (Applied Geophysics) from a recognized university.
Chemist (GSI) & Scientist 'B' (Chemical) (CGWB)	M.Sc. in Chemistry or Applied Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry from a recognized university.

Age Limits & Benchmark Cutoff

• Candidates must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on January 1, 2026 (i.e., born not earlier than January 2, 1994 and not later than January 1, 2005).
• Permissible Age 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.

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4. Three-Stage Examination Architecture (1200 Marks Total)

The Combined Geo-Scientist Examination selection consists of three competitive tiers:

Tier / Stage	Examination Component	Marks Allocation	Structure & Role
Stage-I	Preliminary Examination • Paper I: General Studies (Common, 100 M) • Paper II: Stream Paper (Geol/Geophys/Chem, 300 M)	400 Marks	Objective test with 1/3 negative marking; Marks count in final merit (Held 8 Feb 2026)
Stage-II	Main Examination • 3 Stream-Specific Conventional Papers (200 M each)	600 Marks	2-day conventional written examination (Held June 20–21, 2026)
Stage-III	Personality Test / Interview Scientific interview board at UPSC Dholpur House	200 Marks	Field-oriented scientific aptitude, research mindset, and analytical competence
Final Merit	Grand Merit Aggregate Stage-I (400) + Stage-II (600) + Stage-III (200)	1200 Marks	Final appointment to Group 'A' posts in GSI and CGWB

Sequential Selection Tiers

1. Stage-I Prelims (400 Marks): Determines qualification for Mains; scores are added to the final composite merit rank.
2. Stage-II Mains (600 Marks): Specialized descriptive examination assessing high-level geological, geophysical, and chemical expertise.
3. Stage-III Personality Test (200 Marks): Comprehensive scientific interview conducted by subject-matter experts at UPSC.

Stage-I: Preliminary Examination (400 Marks)

• Paper-I (General Studies): 2 Hours, 100 Marks (100 MCQs). Common to all candidates.
• Paper-II (Stream Paper): 2 Hours, 300 Marks (120 MCQs). Specific to Geology/Hydrogeology, Geophysics, or Chemistry.
• Negative Marking: Deducts one-third (⅓) of the marks assigned to that question (0.33 marks deducted per incorrect question in Paper I where each question carries 1 mark; ~0.83 marks deducted per incorrect question in Paper II where each question carries 2.5 marks).
• Note: Stage-I marks are counted in determining the final merit order.

Stage-II: Main Examination (600 Marks)

• Three conventional descriptive papers of 200 marks each (3 hours duration each) conducted over two days:
  • Geologist / Scientist 'B' (Hydrogeology): Geology Paper I, II, and III.
  • Geophysicist / Scientist 'B' (Geophysics): Geophysics Paper I, II, and III.
  • Chemist / Scientist 'B' (Chemical): Chemistry Paper I, II, and III.

Stage-III: Personality Test / Interview (200 Marks)

• Candidates who attained minimum qualifying marks in Stage-I and Stage-II are evaluated on scientific aptitude, field problem-solving, integrity, and analytical depth.

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5. Official Resources & Verified Links

Resource	Direct Official Link
Official Portal (UPSC)	upsc.gov.in
DAF Portal & e-Summon Zone	upsconline.nic.in
UPSC CGSE Written Results Archive	UPSC Written Results
Official CGSE 2026 Examination Notice	UPSC CGSE 2026 Notification
Previous Question Papers Archive	UPSC Previous Question Papers

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6. Frequently Asked Questions (English & हिन्दी)

Q1. When was the UPSC Geo-Scientist 2026 Mains result declared?

The UPSC declared the Stage-II Main examination results of the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination 2026 on July 20, 2026 on upsc.gov.in. Shortlisted candidates are appearing for the Stage-III Personality Test.

Q2. How is the 2026 cycle different from the newly notified 2027 cycle?

The 2026 cycle (Notice No. 01/2026-GEOL) was notified in September 2025, held Prelims on February 8, 2026, Mains in June 2026, and is currently conducting interviews. The 2027 cycle was notified on September 2, 2026, with online applications open until September 22, 2026, and Prelims scheduled for February 21, 2027.

Q3. यूपीएससी भू-वैज्ञानिक परीक्षा 2026 मेन्स का परिणाम कब जारी हुआ?

यूपीएससी ने कंबाइंड भू-वैज्ञानिक (मुख्य) परीक्षा 2026 का परिणाम 20 जुलाई 2026 को जारी किया। सफल अभ्यर्थियों के व्यक्तित्व परीक्षण (साक्षात्कार) का आयोजन संघ लोक सेवा आयोग, नई दिल्ली द्वारा किया जा रहा है।

Q4. क्या यूपीएससी भू-वैज्ञानिक प्रारंभिक परीक्षा के अंक मेरिट में जुड़ते हैं?

हाँ, यूपीएससी कंबाइंड जियो-साइंटिस्ट परीक्षा में स्टेज-1 प्रारंभिक परीक्षा के 400 अंक, स्टेज-2 मुख्य परीक्षा के 600 अंक और स्टेज-3 साक्षात्कार के 200 अंक मिलाकर कुल 1200 अंकों पर अंतिम चयन सूची और मेरिट बनाई जाती है।

Q5. भू-वैज्ञानिक (Geologist) पद के लिए क्या शैक्षणिक योग्यता आवश्यक है?

अभ्यर्थी के पास किसी मान्यता प्राप्त विश्वविद्यालय से भूविज्ञान (Geology), अनुप्रयुक्त भूविज्ञान (Applied Geology), भू-अन्वेषण (Geo-Exploration), समुद्री भूविज्ञान (Marine Geology), या भूरसायन (Geochemistry) में स्नातकोत्तर (Master's Degree) होना अनिवार्य है।