UPSC 2017 preliminary examination to be held in June instead of August

The civil services preliminary examination, to select IAS and IPS officers among others, will be held in June instead of August next year.

It is after the gap of three years that Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will be conducting the examination in June, rather than August.

The civil services preliminary examination, 2017, is scheduled to be held on June 18, as per the Commissions' calender for the examination.

The preliminary tests for 2016, 2015 and 2014 were held during the month of August, a senior UPSC official said.

"The preliminary exam will be held early in June this year. The decision has been taken to ensure that the entire process of the examination is completed in time," he said.

The preliminary exam for 2013 was held on May 26 that year.

The civil services examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

Thousands of candidates take the test every year at various centres across the country.