New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has expanded its Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026 centre network by adding three new centres at Bhubaneswar, Kanpur, and Meerut in an effort to reduce congestion at existing centres and improve accessibility for candidates across the country.
The expansion increases the total number of preliminary examination centres from 80 to 83, according to an official statement.
The Bhubaneswar centre has significantly reduced pressure on the existing Cuttack centre, with the Commission stating that 10,656 candidates have opted for the new centre, easing the burden on adjoining locations for the examination.
After Odisha, the Kanpur centre has helped reduce pressure on Lucknow with 6,938 applications, while the Meerut centre has eased dependence on Ghaziabad with 5,902 candidates choosing the facility.
The Commission has stated that nearly 23,000 candidates have applied across the three newly added centres, helping distribute examination load more evenly.
UPSC has received a total of 8,19,372 applications for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination-2026 this year.
It has further stated that it remains committed to inclusivity for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), noting that nearly 805 PwBD candidates in the Delhi region were allotted their preferred centres through additional capacity creation where required.
The Commission has also indicated that a dropdown option in the application form allows candidates to indicate nearby preferred cities, which will help identify future examination centres.
UPSC has said that these steps are aimed at making the examination process more accessible, efficient, and balanced while maintaining fairness and transparency.
