UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination
Can I take the UPSC Combined Medical Services exam after MBBS, what does it test, and which government doctor posts does it lead to?
The Combined Medical Services Examination is UPSC's route into government doctor posts for MBBS graduates. The 2026 exam (Notice No. 9/2026-CMS, 11 March 2026) was for 1,358 tentative posts: 864 General Duty Medical Officers in the Central Health Service, 450 Assistant Divisional Medical Officers in the Railways, 14 in the New Delhi Municipal Council and 30 in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. You need to have passed the written and practical parts of the final MBBS, and final-year students may apply provisionally. The age limit is under 32 on 1 August 2026, or up to 35 for the Central Health Service posts. The written exam has two objective papers of 250 marks each, at MBBS level, with a third of a question's marks lost for each wrong answer, and those who qualify sit a 100-mark personality test. Every post starts at Pay Matrix Level 10 with non-practising allowance, and private practice is barred.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 31 March 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
The 2026 written exam was on 2 August 2026 and UPSC has published the interview schedule. The 2027 notice is due on 3 March 2027 per UPSC's calendar.
Exam at a glance
- Notice
- Examination Notice No. 9/2026-CMS, dated 11.03.2026[1]
- Applications (2026)
- 11 March to 31 March 2026, 6:00 pm[1]
- Written exam (2026)
- 2 August 2026[1]
- Posts (tentative)
- 1,358: CHS GDMO 864, Railways ADMO 450, NDMC GDMO 14, MCD GDMO Grade-II 30[1]
- Qualification
- Passed the written and practical parts of the final MBBS; final-year candidates may apply provisionally[1]
- Age
- Under 32 on 1 August 2026 (born on or after 2 August 1994); up to 35 for CHS medical officer posts[1]
- Written test
- 2 papers, 120 questions and 250 marks each, 2 hours each, MBBS standard[1]
- Wrong answers
- Minus one third of the question's marks; a blank costs nothing[1]
- Personality test
- 100 marks, for those who qualify in the written exam[1]
- Pay
- Pay Matrix Level 10, Rs 56,100-1,77,500, plus non-practising allowance[1]
- Fee
- Rs 200; women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates pay nothing[1]
- Next cycle
- UPSC's calendar: CMS 2027 notice on 3 March 2027, last date 23 March 2027, exam 18 July 2027[2]
UPSC CMS: how the marks split
| Category | Service | Posts | Where you can be posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category-I | Medical Officers Grade, General Duty Medical Officers sub-cadre, Central Health Service | 864 posts | Any CHS dispensary or hospital across India |
| Category-II | Assistant Divisional Medical Officer, Railways | 450 posts | Railway health units and dispensaries, liable to transfer to any Railway |
| Category-II | General Duty Medical Officer, New Delhi Municipal Council | 14 posts | Within NDMC's jurisdiction |
| Category-II | General Duty Medical Officer Grade-II, Municipal Corporation of Delhi | 30 posts | Within MCD's jurisdiction |
UPSC calls these numbers tentative. Posts reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities: 34 in CHS, 18 in the Railways (locomotor disability, listed sub-categories), none in NDMC and 2 in MCD. Posts go by merit and the preferences you give.[1]
| Category | Extra years |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | Up to 5 years |
| OBC (eligible for reservation) | Up to 3 years |
| Persons with benchmark disabilities | Up to 10 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations and released as a result | Up to 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen, ECOs/SSCOs with at least 5 years of military service on 1 August 2026 | Up to 5 years, on the release terms the notice lists |
SC, ST and OBC candidates who are also ex-servicemen or persons with benchmark disabilities can add both. The notice says no other relaxation is allowed.[1]
| Paper | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Medicine (96 questions) and Paediatrics (24 questions) | 120 questions | 250 marks | 2 hours |
| Paper II | Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Preventive and Social Medicine (40 questions each) | 120 questions | 250 marks | 2 hours |
Both papers are objective and at MBBS standard. Calculators are not allowed. UPSC can set qualifying marks in either or both papers.[1]
- It suits an MBBS graduate who wants a permanent government post at Level 10 straight after internship, without a postgraduate degree.
- It is a hard fit if you plan to keep private practice: every one of the four services bars it.
- If you need to stay in one city, the NDMC and MCD posts stay within Delhi, but there are only 44 of them. CHS posts can be anywhere in India, and Railway ADMOs can be moved to any Railway.
- Railway ADMOs must pass a Hindi exam during probation, and they can be required to serve at least four years in a defence-related post (not after ten years from appointment, and not usually after age 45).
Source[1]
Paper I covers General Medicine (cardiology, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, neurology, endocrinology, infections, dermatology, psychiatry, emergency and critical care medicine, common poisoning and snake bite, among others) and Paediatrics (newborn care, developmental milestones, childhood emergencies, immunization, children with special needs and national child health programmes).
Paper II covers Surgery including ENT, ophthalmology, traumatology and orthopaedics, then Gynaecology and Obstetrics, and Preventive and Social Medicine. The notice prints the full topic list for each part in Appendix-I.[1]
Candidates who qualify in the written exam are called for a 100-mark personality test. UPSC checks eligibility against original documents only at that stage, so until then your admission is provisional.
Selected candidates are placed by their order of merit and the preferences they gave for the posts. Probation is one year for Railway ADMOs and two years for the CHS, NDMC and MCD posts.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Paper I gives 96 of its 120 questions to General Medicine, so that part decides most of the paper. Paper II splits evenly: 40 each for surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and preventive and social medicine.[1]
- A wrong answer costs a third of the marks. Guess only when you can rule out at least one of the four options.[1]
- Check your Class 10 certificate date of birth before you register: UPSC won't change it later at any of its exams.[1]
- Rank the services in your preference list on purpose. The posting goes by merit and those preferences, and CHS, Railway, NDMC and MCD posts differ a lot in where you can be sent.[1]
Questions people ask
Can final-year MBBS students apply for UPSC CMS?
Yes. If you have appeared or are yet to appear in the final MBBS exam you may apply, but your admission is provisional until you show proof of passing the written and practical parts.[1]
Can I apply for UPSC CMS during my internship?
Yes. Candidates who have not finished the compulsory rotating internship are eligible, but they are appointed only after they complete it.[1]
What is the age limit for UPSC CMS 2026?
Under 32 on 1 August 2026, so born on or after 2 August 1994. For medical officer posts in the Central Health Service the limit is 35. SC/ST candidates get up to 5 more years, OBC 3 and PwBD 10.[1]
Is there negative marking in UPSC CMS?
Yes. Each wrong answer costs one third of that question's marks, and marking more than one answer counts as wrong. A blank costs nothing.[1]
How many vacancies were there in UPSC CMS 2026?
1,358 tentative posts: 864 in the Central Health Service, 450 Assistant Divisional Medical Officers in the Railways, 14 in the New Delhi Municipal Council and 30 in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.[1]
What is the salary of a UPSC CMS medical officer?
All four services start at Pay Matrix Level 10 (Rs 56,100-1,77,500) with non-practising allowance, as the notice prints. Other allowances follow the rules of each service.[1]
When is the UPSC CMS 2027 notification?
UPSC's programme for 2027 puts it on 3 March 2027, with applications closing on 23 March 2027 and the exam on 18 July 2027.[2]
Connected pages
- Related · ExamNEET-PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, Postgraduate)NEET-PG from the NBEMS bulletin: MBBS and internship rules, 180 questions in five timed sections, +4/-1 marking, the 2026 cut-offs and how ties are broken.
- Related · ExamUPSC Civil Services ExaminationUPSC Civil Services: age 21 to 32 with relaxations, 6 or 9 attempts, the 400-mark prelims, 1,750-mark mains and 275-mark interview, with an attempts check.
Official and partner links
Sources
- Combined Medical Services Examination, 2026: Examination Notice No. 9/2026-CMS dated 11.03.2026 (33 pages), Union Public Service Commission. p1; p3 para 3; p7 para 2(a); pp9-12 para 3(II)-(III) and 4; p17 para 11; pp19-24 Appendix-I; pp27-29 Appendix-IV. Accessed 2 November 2026.
- UPSC Programme of Examinations/Recruitment Tests 2027, as on 20.05.2026, Union Public Service Commission. CMS row. Accessed 2 November 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 2 November 2026.