UPSC Recruitment 2026: Notification Out for 450 Posts — Apply Online for Drug Inspector, Assistant Engineer & Legal Officer by July 17

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released its latest UPSC notification 2026, inviting Online Recruitment Applications (ORA) for a wide range of Central Government posts. The Commission has announced 450 vacancies across 54 posts in various Central Government Ministries and Departments under Advertisement No. 07/2026. This is one of the biggest specialist recruitment drives of the year, spanning engineering, law, pharmacy, medicine, science and administration.

Unlike the Civil Services Examination, this is a "Recruitment by Selection" drive — for most posts there is no common written exam. Candidates are selected through an Interview, or a Recruitment Test followed by an Interview. That makes eligibility and experience the deciding factors, so aspirants should read the post-wise criteria carefully before applying.

In News — At a Glance

UPSC Recruitment 2026 Vacancy Details

The UPSC Recruitment 2026 drive covers a diverse mix of technical and administrative roles. Advertisement No. 07/2026 lists 450 posts, of which Drug Inspector accounts for 186 vacancies — the single largest block. Other prominent posts include:

• Drug Inspector (186 posts) — CDSCO, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

• Assistant Engineer (Civil and allied disciplines)

• Legal Officer / Company Prosecutor

• Aeronautical Officer

• Scientific Officer (Forensic Science Laboratory)

• Specialist Grade III / Assistant Professor (medical)

• Joint Director, Assistant Director, Rajbhasha Adhikari and other departmental posts

UPSC Recruitment 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Because the posts span multiple fields, the required qualification changes from post to post. Broadly, engineering posts need a Bachelor's degree in the relevant engineering discipline; legal posts require an LL.B.; scientific and administrative posts require a Master's degree; and medical posts require MBBS with a relevant postgraduate degree. For the Drug Inspector post, a degree in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences or Medicine with specialisation in Microbiology/Chemistry (as prescribed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules) is required. Candidates must hold the exact qualification listed for their chosen post from a recognised university or institute.

UPSC Recruitment 2026 Age Limit

The UPSC Recruitment 2026 age limit is not uniform. The upper age limit differs post to post — generally between 30 and 55/56 years for unreserved candidates, calculated as on the closing date, 17 July 2026. Candidates must check the precise upper age limit for their specific post in the official notification PDF.

Age relaxation is available as per Government rules: SC/ST candidates get 5 years, OBC candidates get 3 years, and PwBD candidates get 10–15 years of relaxation, with additional relaxation for Ex-Servicemen as applicable.

UPSC Recruitment 2026 Application Fee

Candidates must pay a nominal fee while submitting the form. The application fee is ₹25 for General/OBC/EWS male candidates, while all women candidates and SC, ST and PwBD candidates are fully exempted. Payment can be made online via Debit/Credit Card, Net Banking or UPI.

UPSC Recruitment 2026 Important Dates

To avoid last-minute portal congestion, candidates are advised to submit their UPSC Recruitment 2026 apply online form well before the deadline.

How to Apply for UPSC Recruitment 2026 Online — Step by Step

Follow these five steps to complete your UPSC Recruitment online apply process from home:

1. Visit the official portal — go to the UPSC ORA website, upsconline.nic.in.

2. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) — new users register to generate a Registration ID (URN); existing users simply log in.

3. Select Advertisement No. 07/2026 — choose the post you are eligible for and open the online application form.

4. Fill the form and upload documents — enter personal, educational and experience details accurately, then upload your scanned photograph, signature and required certificates in the prescribed format.

5. Pay the fee and submit — pay ₹25 online (if applicable), submit the form, and download/print the final confirmation for your records.

 Beware of Fraud

UPSC never charges more than the prescribed fee and never demands money for interview calls, document verification or job confirmation. Do not share OTPs or bank details, and verify every update only through the official websites upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in.