The Union government has notified a revised cadre allocation policy for candidates selected through the Civil Services Examination (CSE), introducing significant changes in the way IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers will be allotted their state cadres from 2026 onwards. The new framework, issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), replaces the earlier zonal system and is aimed at making the allocation process more equitable, transparent and balanced across states.
One of the major changes under the new policy is the abolition of the five-zone cadre allocation system that had been in place since 2017. In its place, cadres have now been reorganised into four alphabetically arranged groups. According to the government, this restructuring is intended to ensure a more uniform distribution of officers across different regions of the country over time.
Under the revised system, Group I includes AGMUT, Andhra Pradesh, Assam-Meghalaya, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Group II comprises Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. Group III consists of Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu. Group IV includes Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The insider–outsider principle, which governs whether an officer can be allotted to their home state cadre, has been retained. Candidates may still be considered for their home cadre, provided they explicitly express their willingness to do so. Those who do not opt for the home cadre option will not be considered for insider vacancies, irrespective of their rank in the examination.
Cadre allocation will be carried out in rank-based cycles, such as candidates ranked 1 to 25, 26 to 50, 51 to 75, and so on. Within each cycle, allocation will depend on the candidate’s rank, category and the number of vacancies available in each cadre. As per the policy, insider vacancies will be filled first. If any insider vacancy remains unfilled in a particular year, it will be converted into an outsider vacancy for that year and will not be carried forward.
Once insider allocations are completed, outsider vacancies will be filled using a rotational roster system across the four cadre groups. This mechanism is designed to maintain an even spread of officers among states over successive years and prevent regional imbalances.
The policy also includes special provisions for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). PwBD candidates will be given priority during the allocation process, and if required, an additional vacancy may be created to accommodate such a candidate in a preferred non-home cadre. The rules further provide for corrective measures in cases where a candidate is inadvertently allotted their home cadre as an outsider, allowing for an exchange with the next eligible candidate to uphold the insider–outsider balance.
Regarding vacancy determination, the revised guidelines state that vacancies will be calculated based on the cadre gap as on January 1 following the examination year. State governments have been directed to submit their vacancy requirements to the Centre by January 31 each year, ensuring timely and accurate assessment of available posts under the new cadre allocation system.
Read the official notice here.