| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Official website ↗ |
|---|---|
| Posts | Medical Officer, General Duty Medical Officers sub-cadre of Central Health Service (864), Assistant Divisional Medical Officer, Railways (450), General Duty Medical Officer, New Delhi Municipal Council (14), General Duty Medical Officer Grade II, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (30) |
| Qualification | Passed the written and practical parts of the final MBBS exam. Candidates yet to take or clear the final MBBS can apply provisionally, and those still doing the compulsory rotating internship can sit the exam but are appointed only after finishing it. |
| Age limit | Up to 32 years on 1 August 2026 (general category) |
| Domicile | Not required |
| Selection stages | Written exam: two objective papers of 250 marks each → Personality test of 100 marks → Medical fitness as per the standards in the notice |
| Latest notification | Combined Medical Services Examination 2026 notice (No. 9/2026-CMS) · 1,358 vacancies |
Last checked . Sources
About UPSC CMS
The Combined Medical Services Examination recruits MBBS doctors as medical officers in the Central Health Service, the Railways and two Delhi civic bodies. The 2026 notice lists 864 Central Health Service posts, 450 railway posts, 14 NDMC posts and 30 MCD posts, all tentative. Selection is a written test followed by a 100-mark personality test.
Eligibility
Age limit
General category: Up to 32 years, counted on 1 August 2026.
Age relaxation
- OBC: 3 years
- SC: 5 years
- ST: 5 years
- PwBD: 10 years
- Ex-servicemen: 5 years
- The upper limit is 32 years (born on or after 2 August 1994), but 35 years for the Central Health Service medical officer posts.
- Defence personnel disabled in operations get up to 3 years.
Qualification
Passed the written and practical parts of the final MBBS exam. Candidates yet to take or clear the final MBBS can apply provisionally, and those still doing the compulsory rotating internship can sit the exam but are appointed only after finishing it.
Other conditions
- Fee is Rs 200. Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates are exempt.
Selection process
- Written exam: two objective papers of 250 marks each
- Personality test of 100 marks
- Medical fitness as per the standards in the notice
Exam pattern
Written exam
Mode: Objective, multiple choice · Duration: 2 hours for each paper · Negative marking: One third of the marks for a question is cut for each wrong answer.
| SUBJECT | QUESTIONS | MARKS |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I: General Medicine (96) and Paediatrics (24) | 120 | 250 |
| Paper II: Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Preventive and Social Medicine (40 each) | 120 | 250 |
Personality test
| SUBJECT | MARKS |
|---|---|
| Interview | 100 |
UPSC CMS syllabus
Paper I: General Medicine
- Cardiology, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, genito-urinary and neurology
- Haematology, endocrinology and metabolic disorders
- Infections and communicable diseases, tropical medicine
- Nutrition, dermatology, musculoskeletal system, psychiatry
- Emergency medicine, poisoning, snake bite and critical care
- Vaccine-preventable diseases and vitamin deficiencies
Paper I: Paediatrics
- Common childhood emergencies and newborn care
- Developmental milestones, accidents and poisoning in children
- Birth defects, immunisation, children with special needs
- National child health programmes
Paper II
- Surgery, including ENT, ophthalmology, traumatology and orthopaedics
- Gynaecology and obstetrics
- Preventive and social medicine
What they ask
Both papers are objective with 120 questions each in two hours, so you get about a minute per question. Paper I is weighted heavily towards general medicine, with 96 questions against 24 from paediatrics. Paper II splits evenly: 40 questions each from surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and preventive and social medicine. Wrong answers cost a third of the marks, so careful elimination matters more than attempting every question.
How to prepare
- Spend most of your Paper I time on general medicine, since it gives 96 of the 120 questions.
- Give preventive and social medicine the same attention as surgery. It carries 40 questions in Paper II, and its syllabus lists national health programmes, so revise how each one works.
- Practise 120-question sets in two hours to build the pace of about one minute per question.
- Solve the official CMS papers on the UPSC website and review each wrong answer to cut negative marks.
Practise UPSC CMS syllabus topics a few minutes a day with short quizzes in the Improvam app.
Previous papers and answer keys
UPSC CMS FAQs
Below 32 years on 1 August 2026, or below 35 for the Central Health Service posts. OBC candidates get 3 more years, SC and ST candidates 5, and PwBD candidates 10.
Sources
- UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination 2026 notice (No. 9/2026-CMS) ↗ (official, checked )
- UPSC exam page: Combined Medical Services Examination 2026 ↗ (official, checked )
Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.
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