The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) has officially released the schedule for the State Service Main Examination 2025 following the lifting of a court-imposed stay. According to the revised timetable, the examination will be conducted from August 17 to August 22, 2026, at multiple centers across the state. The recruitment process aims to fill 158 government posts, and nearly 4,000 candidates who cleared the preliminary examination are eligible to appear. The announcement comes after the High Court, on June 18, 2026, allowed the commission to proceed with the examination while directing that the results be submitted to the court in a sealed cover. The release of the schedule has brought relief to thousands of aspirants who had been awaiting clarity after months of uncertainty.

The commission stated that candidates must complete a fresh online application process before appearing in the main examination. Applications will be accepted through the official MPPSC portal and MP Online.

Examination Pattern and Centers

According to MPPSC, the State Service Main Examination will consist of six papers. The first four papers will cover General Studies subjects, while the remaining two papers will focus on Hindi and essay writing.

The examination will be conducted in 12 cities across Madhya Pradesh, including Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Chhindwara, Ratlam, Satna, Sagar, Shahdol, Barwani, Ujjain, and Balaghat. The first four papers will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., while the final two papers will take place in separate afternoon sessions.

Application Process and Fees

The online application process will begin on June 25, 2026, and continue until July 15, 2026. Candidates will be allowed to make corrections to their application forms from June 30 to July 17 by paying a correction fee of ₹50.

The commission has also announced late application provisions. Candidates who miss the regular deadline can apply between July 16 and July 22 by paying a late fee of ₹3,000. A final opportunity will be available from July 23 to July 27 with a special late fee of ₹25,000.

For candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer), Economically Weaker Sections, and differently-abled categories from Madhya Pradesh, the application fee has been fixed at ₹400. General category applicants and candidates from outside the state will be required to pay ₹800.

Clash With UPSC Mains

A major concern for some aspirants is the overlap between the MPPSC Main Examination and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Main Examination. While UPSC Mains is scheduled to begin on August 21, MPPSC has also scheduled papers on August 21 and August 22.

MPPSC officials acknowledged the issue and stated that candidates facing a scheduling conflict may submit a representation to the commission. Such cases will be examined individually before any decision is taken.

The revised schedule was issued shortly after the High Court lifted the stay that had been imposed on April 2, 2025. The examination was originally scheduled to begin on June 9, 2025, but legal proceedings delayed the process for more than a year. With the court's latest order, MPPSC has resumed the recruitment process, paving the way for the selection of candidates to 158 state government posts.

For aspirants, the focus now shifts to completing applications, downloading admit cards from August 10, and preparing for one of Madhya Pradesh's most competitive recruitment examinations.