UPSC Cadre Allocation Revamped: Home Vacancies Filled Before Outsiders From 2026 Onwards

The Union government has revised the cadre allocation policy for candidates selected through the Civil Services Examination (CSE), introducing significant changes in how Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers will be assigned state cadres from 2026 onwards. The new framework, notified by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), aims to improve transparency and ensure a more balanced distribution of officers across states.

A major change under the revised policy is the removal of the zonal cadre allocation system that had been in place since 2017. The earlier structure divided cadres into five zones. This has now been replaced with four alphabetically arranged cadre groups, a move intended to address regional imbalances and simplify the allocation mechanism.

Under the new system, Group I includes AGMUT, Andhra Pradesh, Assam-Meghalaya, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh. Group II comprises Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh. Group III consists of Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Tamil Nadu, while Group IV includes Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

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The insider–outsider principle continues under the revised rules. Candidates may still be allotted their home state cadre, but only if they explicitly opt for it. Importantly, home cadre vacancies are filled before outsider seats. If an insider vacancy remains unfilled in a particular year, it is converted into an outsider vacancy and is not carried forward.

Cadre allocation will take place in rank-based cycles—such as ranks 1–25, 26–50, and so on—taking into account rank, category, and available vacancies. Once insider allocation is completed, outsider vacancies are filled through a rotational roster across the four cadre groups. The policy also provides special provisions for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), allowing priority allocation and, where necessary, the creation of an additional vacancy. Vacancies will be calculated based on the cadre gap as of January 1 following the examination year, with states required to submit their requirements by January 31.

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