The online registration for the free Civil Services Coaching Programme for 2026-27 at Jamia Millia Islamia’s Residential Coaching Academy begins April 1. The academy will give an entrance exam on June 6, 2026 to pick students for the residential training that’s geared towards the 2027 Civil Services Exam. People who want to apply should go to admission.jmi.ac.in.
Overview of the free UPSC coaching initiative
This coaching program is completely free and includes housing for those who qualify. It’s designed to help more people from minority backgrounds, SCs, STs and women prepare for the Civil Services. The course will cover both parts of the Civil Services Exam – the Preliminary and Main sections.
RCA wants to provide structured lessons in a classroom, practice writing, and training for interviews. The students will live at the academy to have a place where they can really focus on their studies, with academic materials and help from each other. They also point out the air-conditioned library is open all day and night, so you can study any time.
Key dates and how to apply
You can apply online from April 1, 2026, and the deadline to submit your application is May 26, 2026. If you need to make changes to your application, you can do so on May 29 and 30. You must submit everything through the official website: admission.jmi.ac.in.
The plan (though it could change) is for the results of the entrance exam to be out by July 10, interviews from July 16 to July 31, and the final results by August 7. Those who are accepted will need to complete the enrollment process by August 18 and start orientation around September 1.
Exam pattern and selection process
The written exam will be similar to the UPSC exam and will have two parts: a General Studies section with multiple choice questions and an Essay section where you have to write. The first paper has 60 multiple-choice questions (worth one point each) and will be like the CSAT. For every wrong answer, you’ll lose one-third of a mark.
The second paper requires you to write two essays totaling 60 marks. Both papers together must be completed in three hours. You can write your answers in English, Hindi, or Urdu. However, only the essays of the top 900 people from the first paper will be graded.
Personality test and final selection
Those who do well on the written exam will be invited for an in-person personality test worth 30 marks. Your score on the written exam and the interview will be combined to create the final list of successful candidates. RCA will be filling 100 spots this way.
If you are selected, you are required to live in the hostel, but a room is only guaranteed if one is available. Throughout late August, they’ll have a waiting list to fill any open spots and make sure the admission process is fair.
Course structure, test series, and facilities
The RCA program provides complete coaching in General Studies, CSAT, and certain optional subjects. It also offers practice tests, practice in writing answers, workshops on essays, and practice interviews to get you ready for the Main exam. All of this is to help you improve both what you know and how to do well on the exam.
Test series for the Preliminary exam are scheduled between January and May of t2027 to get you prepared. Tests and answer-writing practice for the Main exam will likely be from June to August 2027. The academy will constantly support you with classes from the teachers and the library.
Test centers and accessibility across cities
The entrance exam will be in 13 cities across the country to make it easier for people to get to. The cities are Delhi, Jaipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Mumbai, Patna, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Calicut, and Ranchi. Having the exam in more places lowers travel costs and allows more people to apply.
Before you apply, be sure to read the requirements for who is eligible and what documents you need. And keep checking the official admission website for updates and explanations to make sure you apply on time and with everything needed.
