Choosing the Right UPSC Exam Center – Tips and Tricks

UPSC has exam centers in over 80 cities across India. When filling the form, you must choose one center for prelims and one separate (usually same) for mains. Top centers: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata. Smaller cities like Guwahati, Patna, Jaipur also have centers. Rule: choose a center within your state or nearby to avoid travel stress. Once selected, you cannot change the center after the last date unless UPSC itself cancels that center. In that case, they assign the nearest center. For international candidates, centers are only in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Check the full center list at https://upsc.gov.in/examination-centers. Also, if you have a disability, mention it to get a center with facilities. Pro tip: avoid centers that fill up fast like Delhi and Bengaluru – book early. This article gives you a center selection strategy.