UPSC Cadre Allocation Policy 2026: New Rules for IAS, IPS and IFoS Explained

The Government of India has revised the UPSC Cadre Allocation Policy 2026 for the three All India Services – the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS). The new policy, notified by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on 23 January 2026, aims to make the cadre allocation system more transparent, consistent, merit-based and time-bound.

This reform follows consultations with State Governments and addresses long-standing concerns of UPSC aspirants regarding fairness in cadre distribution.

What is Cadre Allocation in UPSC?

Cadre allocation is the process by which selected candidates of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and Indian Forest Service Examination are assigned to a state cadre or joint cadre where they serve for most of their career.

The allocation is based on:

• Rank in the examination

• Category (UR/SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD)

• Insider or outsider status

• Cadre preferences

• Vacancy position in states

Why Was the Cadre Allocation Policy Revised in 2026?

The previous policy (last revised in 2017) faced criticism due to:

• Delays in vacancy reporting by states

• Lack of uniformity in vacancy determination

• Confusion regarding insider allocation

• Complexity of zone-based grouping

The new policy seeks to:

• Standardise vacancy calculation

• Reduce discretion

• Improve transparency

• Ensure equal opportunity to all candidates

Cadre Controlling Authorities Under the New Policy

The responsibility of determining vacancies has been clearly defined:

These authorities will publish vacancy details on their official websites every year.

Time-Bound Vacancy Determination Process

One of the most important reforms is the introduction of a strict timeline:

• Vacancies will be calculated based on the cadre gap as on 1st January of the year following the Civil Services Examination.

• State Governments must send their vacancy requisitions by 31st January.

• Late submissions will not be considered.

This ensures predictability and prevents last-minute changes.

Category-wise Reservation Rules

Vacancies will be distributed among:

• Unreserved (UR)

• Scheduled Castes (SC)

• Scheduled Tribes (ST)

• Other Backward Classes (OBC)

EWS Clarification

Vacancies reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will be treated as part of the Unreserved category and reflected in the UR roster.

New Insider Cadre Allocation Rules

An insider is a candidate allocated to their home state cadre.

Under the 2026 policy:

• Insider allocation will strictly follow merit order and vacancy availability.

• A candidate must give explicit willingness to serve in their home state to be considered for insider quota.

• If vacancies are filled, remaining candidates will be treated as outsiders.

This removes ambiguity and ensures fairness.

Rotational Cycle System Introduced

The new system introduces a rotational cycle method:

• Each cycle covers 25 cadres (states and joint cadres).

• Each cycle includes 25 candidates in merit order.

• If multiple candidates fall in the same cycle:

  • The higher-ranked candidate is allocated first.

  • Others move to the next cycle.

This mechanism ensures balanced distribution of officers across all cadres.

Outsider Allocation Process

After insider allocation:

1. Allocation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD)

2. Allocation for remaining candidates

Both stages follow the existing roster system to maintain reservation balance.

New Cadre Grouping System (4 Groups)

The earlier five-zone system has been replaced by four alphabetical groups.

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