New cadre allocation policy for IAS, IPS, IFoS officers announced
India
Big update for future civil servants: the government has rolled out a new policy for how IAS, IPS, and IFoS officers will be assigned to states.
Starting with the 2026 Civil Services Exam, the old five-zone system is out—now there are four alphabetical groups instead.
Why should you care?
This change aims to make officer postings fairer across India and boost national integration.
Each year's vacancies will be filled based on clear deadlines and group rotations, so no region gets an unfair advantage over time.
The process also puts more focus on merit and reservation rules—making things more predictable if you're planning to take the exam or just curious about how top government jobs work.