UPSC CMS Exam — Posts, Eligibility, Pattern and Dates

Last verified: 30 September 2026 against UPSC CMS 2026 notice (9/2026-CMS), UPSC calendar 2027 and UPSC Personality Test schedule.

What is the UPSC CMS exam?

The Combined Medical Services Examination is held once a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) under rules notified by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. It is a recruitment exam, not a postgraduate entrance: the people who clear it are appointed as salaried medical officers. All four posts it fills are in Level 10 of the Pay Matrix (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500) plus Non-Practising Allowance, according to the CMS 2026 notice.

Selection has two stages: a written exam of two objective papers (500 marks) and, for those who qualify, a personality test (100 marks). The final merit list is out of 600, and posts are allotted by merit and the service preferences you give UPSC.

Which posts does UPSC CMS recruit for?

Vacancies are tentative and can change. Source: CMS 2026 notice, para 2(a). One application covers every post; you state your preferences later, and without a preference you are not considered for allocation.

Who is eligible for UPSC CMS?

• Qualification: passed the written and practical parts of the final MBBS examination. Candidates who have appeared or are yet to appear may apply, but must show proof of passing within the window UPSC gives after the written result. Candidates who have not finished the compulsory rotating internship can sit the exam but are appointed only after completing it.
• Age (CMS 2026): under 32 on 1 August 2026, i.e. born on or after 2 August 1994. For Central Health Service medical officer posts the limit is 35.
• Nationality: an Indian citizen, or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or another category listed in the notice with a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.
• Attempts: the notice sets no maximum; the age limit is what caps them.
• Fee (CMS 2026): ₹200. Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates are exempt.

What does the UPSC CMS exam look like?

Full breakdown on the UPSC CMS exam pattern page.

What are the UPSC CMS dates?

The 2026 cycle, as published by UPSC:

For the next cycle, UPSC’s 2027 programme of examinations lists the CMS 2027 notification on 3 March 2027, applications until 23 March 2027 and the exam on Sunday 18 July 2027. UPSC can change these, so treat them as tentative until the CMS 2027 notice is out on upsc.gov.in.

How does Kinase help with UPSC CMS preparation?

Kinase has 35 UPSC CMS previous-year papers from 2009 to 2026 — 4,200 questions, each with an explanation — in the app’s Test Series, next to its NEET-PG and INI-CET preparation. Attempt each paper against the clock as a 2-hour rehearsal and review every explanation afterwards.

• • Work the heavy blocks first. General Medicine is 96 of Paper I’s 120 questions, so it deserves the largest share of your time.
• • Do not neglect PSM. Preventive & Social Medicine is a third of Paper II.
• • Answer selectively. With one-third negative marking, a blind guess gains nothing on average; answer when you can rule out at least one option.

Explore the UPSC CMS guides