The services
CSE 2026 recruits for 23 services: IAS, IFS, IPS; Group A services including Indian Audit and Accounts, Civil Accounts, Corporate Law, Defence Accounts, Defence Estates, Information, Postal, Post and Telecom Accounts and Finance, Railway Management (Traffic, Personnel, Accounts), Railway Protection Force, Revenue (Customs and Indirect Taxes), Revenue (Income Tax) and Trade; and Group B services: Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, DANICS, DANIPS, PONDICS and PONDIPS.
How you get a service
You fill a service preference list. UPSC recommends candidates in order of merit; the government allots services by rank, preference, category and vacancies. IAS and IPS cadres (states) are allotted separately by the government.
Pay
Group A officers join at Level 10 of the 7th Central Pay Commission pay matrix, where the basic pay starts at ₹56,100 a month. Dearness allowance, house rent allowance (or government housing) and other allowances come on top; DA is revised twice a year, so take-home changes over time. The top of the IAS scale is the apex level of the pay matrix, at a fixed ₹2,50,000 basic.
Salary is the least interesting part of this job. The work is. If you want to see what officers actually deal with, read a week of our current affairs and count how many stories end at a district office.
FAQs
What is the starting salary of an IAS officer?
Basic pay of ₹56,100 a month at Level 10 of the 7th CPC pay matrix, plus DA, HRA and other allowances.
How many services are filled through CSE 2026?
23, as listed in the 2026 notification.
Who allots the service?
The Government of India, based on your rank, preferences, category and vacancies.