OPSC OCS 2026 Notification Out: Revised Vacancy Increased to 465 Posts, Check Eligibility, Salary & Selection Process

The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) revised the vacancy total for the Odisha Civil Services Examination 2026 to 465 posts. The first addendum to Advertisement No. 05 of 2025–26 added 151 vacancies to the 314 announced earlier. Along with the higher count, aspirants should review the applicable service list, category distribution, eligibility conditions and examination scheme.

OPSC OCS 2026 at a glance

The Odisha Civil Services Examination recruits candidates to Group A and Group B state services. The process is conducted in three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Personality Test. The Prelims is a screening stage; final merit is based on the notified Mains and interview scheme.

Revised vacancies: how the total reached 465

The addendum dated 3 January 2026 added vacancies in four services. The additions are distributed as follows:

The 465 figure is the overall revised total, not the number of seats available to every category or in each service. Appendix-A of the notification contains the detailed service-wise and category-wise breakup. It addresses Unreserved, SEBC, SC and ST categories, as well as women, persons with disabilities and ex-servicemen. Candidates should use that appendix to understand the actual vacancy distribution applicable to them.

Services covered by the recruitment

The posts span several areas of state administration. The listed Group A services include Odisha Administrative Service (Junior Branch) and Odisha Police Service (Junior Branch). Group B includes Odisha Revenue Service, Odisha Taxation & Accounts Service, Odisha Co-operative Service, Odisha Skill Development & Employment Service, Odisha Labour Service, Odisha Excise Service, Odisha Tourism Service, Odisha Welfare Service and Odisha Transport Service.

Service allocation after selection is governed by merit, candidate preference, eligibility, available vacancies and reservation rules. Read the official advertisement for the full service descriptions and any post-specific conditions.

OPSC OCS 2026 eligibility criteria

Educational qualification

A candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree from a university established by an Act of the Central or State Legislature, an institution recognised as a deemed university under the UGC Act, or an equivalent qualification accepted by the Government of India. The notification also sets out conditions for qualifications from foreign universities. Refer to the advertisement for the accepted proof and timing of qualification.

Age limit and relaxation

The referenced notification sets the age range at 21 to 42 years as on 1 January 2025. It specifies the eligible date-of-birth window as 2 January 1983 to 1 January 2004. Since this is a recruitment-specific cutoff, age should be calculated against that date rather than the current date or a different exam cycle.

Relaxation depends on the category definitions and supporting proof accepted by OPSC. If more than one relaxation may apply, consult the notification for how the rules interact instead of adding relaxations yourself.

Odia language requirement

Candidates must be able to read, write and speak Odia, and must meet at least one of the prescribed educational conditions. These include passing the Middle School Examination with Odia as a language subject; passing the High School Certificate examination with Odia as the medium in a non-language subject; passing Odia as a language subject in Class VII; or passing an Odia test at Middle English School standard. Keep the relevant certificate available for document verification.

Important dates and current status

The published schedule associated with the notification listed these milestones. The application window and Preliminary Examination date have now passed. Mains, interview and result dates shown as “to be announced” should be checked against subsequent OPSC notices.

Application fee and how to apply

The referenced fee schedule lists ₹700 for General/Unreserved and SEBC candidates. SC, ST and PwD candidates are listed as exempt. Payment is made online through the application portal using a payment option available there. Under the referenced rules, the General/SEBC fee is refundable only if the candidate appears in both Preliminary papers; applicants should verify the detailed refund conditions in the official notice.

The application is submitted online. A careful submission follows this sequence:

1. Visit the OPSC website and read the full advertisement, addenda and instructions.
2. Register in the online application system and keep the login details safe.
3. Enter personal, educational and category details exactly as shown on supporting records.
4. Upload the prescribed photograph, signature and left-hand thumb impression in the required format.
5. Pay the applicable examination fee online, then review the form for missing or inconsistent information.
6. Submit before the deadline and save the submitted application and payment acknowledgement.

Incomplete forms, incorrect information, missing uploads or an unpaid fee where applicable can lead to rejection. The commission accepts applications through the notified online process, not by an alternate submission method.

OPSC OCS selection process

1. Preliminary Examination

The objective Prelims is used to screen candidates for the Main Examination. Marks from this stage are not carried into the final merit list. Candidates need to appear in both papers, and the second paper has a qualifying threshold.

2. Main Examination

The Mains is a conventional, descriptive written examination. It includes qualifying language papers and merit papers. Candidates who meet the qualifying standards and rank sufficiently under the notified rules are shortlisted for the Personality Test.

3. Personality Test

The interview carries 250 marks. It assesses qualities relevant to public service, including communication, mental alertness, judgement, leadership and suitability for administrative responsibilities. Final ranking follows the official scheme for Mains and interview marks.

OPSC OCS exam pattern

Preliminary Examination

Both papers are objective and compulsory. The referenced scheme deducts one-third of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer. Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying, with a minimum of 33%. Prelims marks are not used to calculate final merit, but failing to appear in either paper can disqualify a candidate from progressing.

Main Examination

The Mains has nine descriptive papers: two qualifying language papers (Odia and English) and seven merit papers. The merit papers comprise Essay, four General Studies papers and two papers in one optional subject.

The Odia and English language papers must be qualified, but their marks do not count toward the merit total. The optional subject is selected from the list in the detailed scheme. Check that list and the paper-specific instructions in the official syllabus before preparing.

Syllabus overview and preparation pointers

Prelims General Studies draws on current events, Indian and Odisha history, geography, polity and governance, public policy, economic and social development, environment and general science. CSAT includes comprehension, communication skills, logical and analytical reasoning, decision-making, mental ability, basic numeracy and data interpretation.

For Mains, candidates prepare qualifying Odia and English papers alongside Essay, General Studies I–IV and their optional subject. Build Odisha-specific knowledge alongside broader topics. Timed objective practice helps with accuracy and negative marking; regular answer writing helps develop structure, clarity and time management for the descriptive papers. Use the commission’s current syllabus as the definitive boundary for preparation.

OPSC OCS salary and pay scale

Pay depends on the service and group of the appointment. The referenced overview lists an entry pay scale of ₹56,100 for Group A services and ₹44,900 for most Group B services under the Odisha Revised Scales of Pay Rules, 2017.

These are stated pay-scale figures, not guaranteed take-home amounts. Allowances, deductions, posting and service-specific rules affect actual compensation. For the conditions of a particular post, check the official notification and applicable Odisha government pay rules.

Attempts, exam centres and documents

Number of attempts

The referenced summary lists six attempts for General category candidates and nine for SEBC candidates; SC and ST candidates have no fixed attempt limit, subject to the applicable age and eligibility conditions. Confirm the attempt-counting rules in the advertisement before relying on a category-based limit.

Examination centres

The listed centres are Balasore, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jeypore and Sambalpur. Candidates can indicate a preferred zone while applying, but final allotment is subject to OPSC arrangements. A request to change an allotted centre after submission may not be accepted.

Documents to keep ready

• High School certificate as proof of date of birth, plus Higher Secondary records.
• Bachelor’s degree certificate and marksheets for qualifying examinations.
• Valid SC, ST, SEBC, EWS or PwD certificate, where applicable.
• Evidence of Odia language qualification.
• Ex-serviceman, sports or other relevant certificates and declarations.
• Any additional document requested by OPSC for verification.

Check that names, dates and category information match across documents. Applications can be rejected for incomplete information, unmet eligibility, missing or invalid documents, incorrect declarations or fee non-payment where a fee is due.

This explainer summarises the referenced recruitment information for guidance. The OPSC advertisement, addenda, syllabus and subsequent announcements are authoritative. Dates and rules may be revised by the commission.